Nagpur police book 13 BJP workers for blaring DJ at Dahi Handi event
A case was filed against 13 BJP workers after a DJ was played at high volume in defiance of noise rules at a Nagpur Dahi Handi event.
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Police in Nagpur have booked several people, including 13 BJP workers, for playing a DJ at high volume and openly flouting noise pollution rules at a Dahi Handi event held on Sunday evening at Chhota Tajbagh Chowk.
The event was organised by leaders and workers of the BJP Yuva Morcha, and BJP MLA Mohan Mate is said to have been closely associated with it.
Ahead of the event, Nagpur Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangare Patil had banned the use of beam and laser lights and directed police to strictly enforce noise pollution rules.
Despite these restrictions, a DJ was played at high volume at the venue. Police officers asked the organisers and the sound system operator to lower the volume.
According to police, MLA Mohan Mate then made an announcement on the microphone asking policemen not to come near the stage and not to interfere with the DJ system. He is also alleged to have said that the volume would not be lowered.
Police checked the sound level three times during the event, and on two of those occasions it was recorded above 100 decibels.
The organisers had permission to run the sound system only until 10 pm, but the DJ allegedly continued until around 10.30 pm. According to police, when they were asked to switch off the sound system, the organisers also argued with the policemen.
The case was registered two days after the event, on Tuesday, based on a complaint by police sub-inspector Sachin Funde.
The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Maharashtra Police Act and the Environment Protection Act.
Those named include BJP Yuva Morcha members Kuldeep Mate, Arpit Malghate, Ketan Sathwane, Akshay Kharbe, Uday Dhomane, Rajesh Kale, Vijay Thakur, Ankush Bhure, Aryan Palandurkar, Suraj Bansod, Chetan Rathod and Aniket Sable.
The Dahi Handi event drew a large crowd, particularly of young people, and police were deployed at the venue for security and crowd management.
The case has once again brought attention to the enforcement of noise pollution rules during public and religious events in Nagpur.
