Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 3: In connection with the forcible eviction of a bar and restaurant function from a building near old State Bank at Ullal by the owner of the building on Sunday August 2, the police seized a JCB and arrested 15 persons. The borrower, in his police complaint, claimed having lost eight lac rupees in this eviction drive.

The venture, 'Ashok Bar and Restaurant', owned by Raveendra Ullal, was ousted from the building in an operation launched at dawn on Sunday. The Ullal police have registered case against over 15 persons including owner of the building, Lalita Ravi. The driver of the JCB, which has been seized, is among the 15 persons involved with the operation who were arrested. All of them were produced in court.

Raveendra has been running the said bar and restaurant near the Old State Bank, which is better known with the name, 'Chota Mangalore', since the last 22 years. This building was sold by earlier owner, Raghuram, to Lalita Ravi, about two years back. After the sale, other shops were made to vacate the premises. As the bar and restaurant owner remained stubborn on not vacating the place, it was forcibly demolished, it is said.

Reportedly, a pit was dug on the road leading to the bar and restaurant, before the wall of the building where the bar stood was demolished. Bar owner said that he suffered a loss of around eight lac rupees by way of damage to things and equipment inside the bar and liquor stored therein.

A person associated with the building owner claimed that in spite of repeated notices having been served on him to vacate the building, the bar owner refused to budge. He said that the owner wanted to demolish the building and construct a new one in its place. He explained that the bar owner had been informed in advance about the eviction drive, and that he had been asked to take away his things. He also added that the room in which wine shop was permitted to be run has not been harmed, and the room by its side, had been demolished, and that there is no information about liquor having been stored there.

Raveendra claimed that he had been trying for an alternative venue to run his bar and restaurant, but no suitable building could be fixed since the last one year. He said he had sought time from the building owner till December this year, and discounted the claim that notices had been served on him to vacate the place. He said he has a valid permit from the department of excise to run the facility there, adding that the building owner had accepted rent payment till May this year. The bar owner also said that he was informed about the demolition drive from a bar employee, and stated that when he reached the building, most of the liquor bottles had been found to have been shattered under the debris of the building, while the remaining were taken away by locals.