Pune: Illegal Hookah Operations Exposed in Hinjawadi; Two Cases Registered
Reported by Varad Bhatkhande
Hinjawadi, 30th December 2024: As New Year’s Eve approaches, two establishments in Pune’s Hinjawadi have been booked for illegally operating hookah parlours. The actions were taken by the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate (PCPC) in separate incidents on December 28 and 29.
The first incident occurred at a rooftop lodge in the Wisteria Cooperative Housing Society. The lodge was found to be offering hookah services, and the manager, Sudarshan Dayanand Kinikar (30, a resident of Wakad), along with operator Tushar Bhumkar (also a resident of Wakad), were booked.
According to AHTU Police Constable Bhagwanta Muthe, the accused provided hookah-smoking arrangements using an iron grate and coal, creating a fire hazard and endangering public safety. The matter was reported to the Hinjawadi Police Station for further action.
In the second case, the manager of Akasa Pool Bar & Kitchen, Rakesh Shetty (36, a resident of Pimple Saudagar), and waiter Yuvraj Deepak Khadka (22, a resident of Kondhwa) were booked for operating a hookah parlour within the premises. AHTU Police Constable Ajinkya Shinde reported the case to the Hinjawadi Police Station. The accused allegedly provided hookahs to customers, using charcoal-lit jars placed on wooden tables, which posed a significant fire risk to the establishment and its patrons.
Assistant Police Inspector Jadhav has taken charge of the investigation and is probing both incidents further.
