Ghaziabad: DCP Rijul Raids Hookah Bars, Action at Two Clubs

Ghaziabad: Police teams checking hookah bars operating late at night found violations in Kaushambi and Sahibabad. On the police commissioner’s instructions, Trans Hindon DCP Rijul carried out raids at different locations along with Indirapuram ACP Suryabali Maurya.

At around 2 am late on Saturday night, the officers reached Angel Mall in the Kaushambi police station area. They found a hookah bar operating at an establishment called Public House. The DCP questioned the manager and employees present about its operation. When local police personnel arrived, the officers also sought answers from them.

A total of eight locations were raided during the operation. After Angel Mall, hookah was also found being served without permission at Yaarana in the Sahibabad area. Directions have been issued for further police action in both cases.

The scope of the inquiry is not limited to the establishments. The monitoring carried out by the relevant beat personnel, police outpost and police station is also being examined. DCP Rijul’s raids have caused a stir not only among club operators but within the police as well.

Referring to an order of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court dated 29 September 2026, the report states that customers cannot be provided with hookah even in designated smoking zones at public places such as hotels, restaurants and cafés.

The discovery of hookah bars operating late at night has therefore raised questions about compliance with the restriction and local monitoring. Further investigation will clarify the operation of the establishments and the responsibility of the personnel concerned.

Based on reporting by Dainik Bhaskar