Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (EP)

Bengaluru, Dec 13: The divisional bench of Karnataka high court has asked the state government to inform its stand on ban of liquor during New Year celebrations.

A man named N Nagesh has filed a public interest litigation requesting for ban of liquor during celebrations of New Year. He said that sexual harassment incidents, with people under the influence of alcohol, have taken place during the celebrations earlier.

"Bengaluru gets a bad name due to such incidents. Consumption of alcohol causes accidents. Therefore, liquor should be banned on December 31 and January 1," he stated in his petition.

The PIL has excise department officials, top police officials and the state government as respondents. The court has adjourned the hearing to December 15.

Bengaluru had hit headlines nationwide when the 2017 New Year celebrations turned nightmare for women with many being allegedly molested. The city’s most bustling areas, MG Road and Brigade road saw thousands of men mobbing the revellers, and allegedly groping and trash talking the women in the streets. Even though 1,500 police personnel were positioned in the area, unruly men on bikes, cars and on foot, far outnumbered them. The police largely remained a spectator and intervened only intermittently as men went about their hooliganism, it was alleged.