Bengaluru: Sleuths of the women and narcotic squad of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) have raided three illegal hookah joints and arrested 15 people. Investigations revealed that the accused were allegedly allowing minors to smoke the hookah.

The raids were conducted based on information that these joints were supplying hookah without valid licence and violating norms by running the business near educational institutions. “We were also informed that these joints were allowing minors to smoke hookah. Simultaneous raids were conducted on three joints on Saturday,” an official said.


In Suddaguntepalya, the police raided ‘Baristo Brew’ located in Krishnanagar Industrial Area near Christ College and arrested seven people. Pankaj Agarwal of Tamil Nadu and Mohan Krishna of Hyderabad were arrested for running the hookah bar, while the five others, who hailed from Manipur and Nagaland, were working in the bar.

“When we raided the joint, there were 31 youngsters, most of them college students, who had come to smoke hookah. Their parents were informed about it and we advised the students to stay away from such vices,” the officer said. A case was registered at the Mico Layout police station.

In Hanumanthanagar police limits, the police raided ‘Hideout Café’ on Bull Temple Road and arrested Deepak, 25, a resident of Mysuru Road, and Islamuddin, 25, who hails from Assam, for running the illegal hookah bar. Even this bar was situated close to an educational institution and 22 students were found in the bar during the raid.