The police raided the bar, which was allegedly functioning on the third floor of the mall without the mandatory license, and sealed it.
A 22-year-old employee of an information technology firm died due to a suspected alcohol and drug overdose during an illegal rave party held in Chennai’s VR Mall, police said on Sunday, May 22. The police, after coming to know about the conduct of the event ‘The Great Indian Gathering’, raided the bar which was allegedly functioning on the fourth floor of the mall without the mandatory license, and sealed it. Police are waiting for a post-mortem report to confirm the victim’s cause of death.
According to a senior police official, the victim who was partying with his friends at the mall on Saturday night died following excess consumption of the liquor. Around 900 people were reported to be at the venue. “Initial examination revealed he died of heavy drinking. He hails from Madipakkam in the city and after performing an autopsy at Royapettah Government General Hospital, the body was handed over to his family,” the official told PTI.
The people who were partying at the venue were asked to leave the venue by the police. It also came to light that the bar located on the third floor of the mall was functioning without the mandatory license and was sealed later, the police said. As many as 844 liquor bottles were seized and four persons were booked in this connection.
The event was by a Mexican DJ Mandragora who posted pictures that he took while playing his set. Reports said that an entry fee of Rs 1,500 was charged and alcohol was served at the venue despite the organizers not having permission to do so. Liquor was sourced from Monkey Bar, situated on the third floor of the same mall, whose owners also did not a have a valid bar license and instead use the license of another bar in the building. Monkey Bar has also been sealed.
Greater Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal, taking cognizance of the incident warned of strict action against persons who conduct such illegal parties in the city. Meanwhile, a police press release said a special team headed by an inspector has been directed by Jiwal towards monitoring of entertainment parties in the city and it came to know about the illegal rave party which was happening at the fourth floor of the shopping mall. Investigation revealed the party was conducted by inviting people to register themselves through a mobile application in order to take part in the event, the release said.
Comedian Vir Das, who had an event scheduled at the venue on Sunday, tweeted that authorities had sealed the venue for investigation and the show had to be canceled. “My team and I were leaving for the venue when we were informed and must of course respect and cooperate with the authorities so we will be rescheduling the show. That’s all the information I have right now. There’s no getting in or out of the venue,” he said.
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