Amid protests, excise dept denies nod to serve liquor at Diljit concert in Pune

The action comes following protests by several local residents and different organisations against serving liquor at the event, scheduled to be held at 7 pm on the open ground of Suryakant Kakade Farms in Kothrud.

The protesting residents also raised concerns over sound pollution due to installation of a large number of loudspeakers for the concert.

With many protesters demanding cancellation of the concert, police personnel have been deployed at the venue of the event.

“It is learnt that permission to serve liquor has been denied. Due to protests, police personnel are deployed at the spot to maintain the law and order situation,” a senior police officer said, adding that the organisers have taken necessary permission for the concert.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had written a letter to Pune City Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar asking to cancel permission granted for the musical concert.

The letter by Amol Shinde, president of MNS Pune unit, stated; “About 40,000 persons are expected for the event. They would come in about ten thousand vehicles, for which sufficient parking arrangements are not made and it will cause a probe for the residents. Loud music systems for the concert would cause huge noise, creating problems for citizens as well as the birds and animals in forest land located nearby. Also, it is known that liquor will be served at the program. So if this causes any problem, who would be responsible?.”

A group of organisations, under the banner of ‘Sakal Hindu Samaj’, also gave a letter to the Kothrud police on Sunday, seeking to cancel the musical concert.

Even after the permission to serve liquor was denied, a section of residents continue to protest against the concert

“We are against the concert as it will be causing sound pollution. Most of the locals living in the area are senior citizens,” Vijay Dakhle, a protesting resident, said.