GURUGRAM: More than a week after the Gurugram police revoked no-objection certificates (NOCs) issued to nightclubs on
MG Road, police commissioner KK Rao carried out a covert operation on the stretch to find out if prostitution rackets are still active in the area and whether they are roping in autorickshaw drivers to lure prospective customers. The commissioner had himself carried out a recce of malls which house pubs, bars and nightclubs before carrying out raids, earlier.
Rao said he went around MG Road in an autorickshaw on Sunday night to get a firsthand experience of what was happening on the stretch after dark. The police, according to Rao, have received several tip-offs that the
auto drivers are roped in by prostitution rackets to get customers.
“This is part of police initiatives taken on MG Road. I hailed an auto and went around the road to probe if people involved in flesh trade are camping on MG Road and auto drivers are used by these rackets to lure customers. I must say that our recent crackdowns have paid off, and the road seemed well within the bounds of law,” Rao said.
After receiving repeated complaints by residents and
commuters, police had in July conducted a massive
crackdown on pubs and clubs on MG Road’s Mall Mile, the first major nightlife hotspot to come up in Delhi-NCR, and later withdrew NOCs issued to 10 of the 15 nightclubs in the area. Of them, seven nightclubs had managed to get a stay on withdrawal of NOCs from the Punjab and Haryana high court last week.
The commissioner, according to sources, didn’t inform police officers about his inspection. Around 10.40pm on Sunday, the police commissioner along with a senior police officer reached near MLA flats in Sector 28 in plainclothes and left his official car at Bristol Chowk before leaving for Sahara Mall on MG Road in a CNG autorickshaw. Around seven minutes later, he reached MG Road outside Sahara Mall, and struck a conversation with auto drivers. He then paid the auto driver Rs 50 before letting him leave.
The city’s top cop spent more than half an hour on Mall Mile near Sahara Mall and JMD Mall. He was seen discussing with commuters and auto drivers what happens on MG Road during the night hours. Rao then walked towards Iffco Chowk and called his driver to bring car before going to the Sector 29 market. Sources however said the commissioner didn’t notice any type of nuisance during his surprise visit to these areas. The commissioner, source said, didn’t talk to policemen who were found checking vehicles after setting up a barricade on the road.
“I went to MG Road on Sunday as I wanted to know the ground reality. Things have really improved but there are certain steps that police need to take, which we will reveal later,” Rao said.
Auto parked outside MG Road mall
