The Friday night raid by the Gurugram police along with other state agencies on Casa Danza, a nightclub located in the Udyog Vihar area, has revealed the ugly side of the millennium city. While the authorities should be commended for busting the thriving narcotics business in the area, questions remain about how this place could have operated for so long without the police, who acted on multiple tip-offs. It is being speculated that some powerful people had interests in the business and had been operating through various fronts. Further investigation will reveal whether or not this is true. Follow-up on the raid Many events scheduled for Saturday in Gurugram were canceled due to fears that the police crackdown would continue and target other locations known for their nefarious activities. Casa Danza has been in the news; previously, a woman complained months ago about being molested and manhandled by bouncers. The narcotics business is thriving virtually all over India, and Gurugram, Delhi, and NOIDA are not free from this menace. In Punjab, where drugs have ruined a large number of families, the malaise continues to exist. Udta Punjab is now becoming a Udta India phenomenon, with almost all states in the grip of unscrupulous people who back this trade. The Narcotics Control Bureau has been active, but their intervention on a cruise ship that sailed from Mumbai to Goa and led to the illegal arrest of Shah Rukh Khan’s son did not show the agency in a good light. It was a case where some elements wanted to make money, but fortunately, due to the intervention of senior officials, their attempts did not succeed. When Sheila Dikshit was the Chief Minister of Delhi, she granted permission to many hookah bars to operate in the city. Under the cover of these bars, drugs found their way into the community and were openly used by youngsters in various places, including Khan Market and Connaught Place. The Delhi police are aware of the booming drug industry in the capital, but for reasons best known to the authorities, they have not taken adequate action. In Gurugram, the business thrives in Cyber City, Golf, Course Road, and many other markets, including those in Sector 29 and Galleria. The youngsters are getting hooked on various kinds of synthetic substances and are taking to alcohol in a big way. On Republic Day, when liquor outlets are always closed, this time, towards the evening, many shops were selling various brands of alcohol. The raid on Casa Danza should help the authorities review many of their policies and ensure that the Millennium City becomes a better place to live. The onus of checking is also on parents and relatives of youngsters, as well as on the consumers themselves. The rehab business too is thriving, and hardly anyone who goes there gets cured. The authorities must have a firm policy regarding the opening of rehabs and monitor their activities on a regular basis.
