Love may be blind, but park permits are not: event at Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park runs into trouble

Scheduled to run every weekend between 11 am and 1 pm from August 2 to 31, the event was marketed as facilitating “meaningful exchanges without judgment”.

Karnataka’s horticulture department intervened after the event gained unexpected traction online, attracting over 1,400 interested participants within 24 hours. Deputy Director Kusuma G complained to the Cubbon Park police that the event would violate park regulations.

Vineet Kathoria, a 24-year-old college dropout from Laggere, organised the event through BookMyShow, charging participants Rs 999. (Photo: Screengrab/BookMySHow)

“Any events in Cubbon Park need prior permission. However, the event was organised, and tickets were also being sold online. I have filed a complaint at the Cubbon Park police station as well as with the cybercrime police station,” Kusuma said.

Cubbon Park operates under strict guidelines established following previous incidents. A May 2024 circular limits gatherings without official permission to 20 people, restricting activities to a designated 15-acre zone between the BSNL gate and the high court parking area. These regulations were strengthened after a “Secret Santa” event organised by a community group called Cubbon Reads led to unexpected congestion and public complaints in December 2024.

The current case echoes that incident, where organisers faced detention after a small book-exchange event received an overwhelming response.

The police said that Kathoria, who abandoned his computer science studies and is unemployed, had submitted a written apology claiming ignorance of permit requirements. “He stated he wasn’t aware permission was needed to host such events,” a police officer said.