• Members of Jamiat-Ulama-E-Hind submit  memorandum to City Police Commissioner
• ACPs, Inspectors on night rounds to enforce 10.30 pm deadline for commercial outlets

Mysore/Mysuru: All shops, hotels, bars, restaurants, and tea outlets must mandatorily close at 10.30 pm, and the City Police will ensure compliance by conducting a special night drive from June 7 (today).

The rules were relaxed until now due to the election season, as all officers and staff were busy with election-related duties. “From today, the 10:30 pm deadline will be strictly enforced and there will be no leniency. The rule applies to all commercial establishments, except those functioning at night,” City Police Commissioner Ramesh Banoth told Star of Mysore this morning.

This comes in the wake of a memorandum submitted to the Police Commissioner by NGOs, social organisations and public representatives under the banner of Jamiat-Ulama-E-Hind, on behalf of the public.

The memorandum states that many tea shops and other outlets, especially in N.R. Constituency, are kept open until midnight, allowing groups of youth and some anti-social elements to assemble, leading to petty fights that sometimes escalate into full-blown quarrels and assaults.

Youths gather at these shops to smoke, chat for hours and engage in activities like playing online games and indulging in digital gambling. Their vehicles, parked in front of neighbouring houses, create nuisance for residents.

The Police Commissioner said now that the election Model Code of Conduct has been lifted, it is time to get back to regular activities. “Law and order and a decline in crime rate is our priority, and we do not want people to assemble at shops after the 10.30 pm deadline. I will call a meeting of all ACPs and Inspectors today itself and instruct them to go on night rounds to ensure the deadline is enforced,” he said.

Rise in crime rate

Giving details of the problem, former Mayor and current Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Ayub Khan said that the increased use and sale of ganja and other drugs among youth, particularly in the vicinity of two Police Stations in Narasimharaja, have led to a rise in assaults, murders, threats and thefts.

“This situation has become alarmingly common and easy. Recently, murder of teenagers over petty reasons has instilled fear among public, who now feel that their children are not safe. We have previously raised these issues, but no action has been taken,” he said. The memorandum said that some middlemen are involved in settling issues, and the police are not acting tough on them. This has eroded public trust in the police department. Additionally, the complaints about illegal gatherings are not being acted upon.

It also stated that the usage of drugs and ganja among the youth is a significant issue. “Our request is to curb these illegal activities by closing business establishments within the stipulated deadline and mandate the installation of CCTV cameras at tea shops to monitor gatherings and identify criminals,” the memorandum stated.

Along with Ayub Khan, former Mayor Arif Hussain, former Corporators K.C. Showkath Pasha, Hazrath Ulla, Ayaz Pasha (Pandu), Ulama Fayaz Saheb, Jamiat-Ulama-E-Hind Secretary Arshad and other members of the Jamiat were in the delegation.