Kochi: In a first, the Kochi city police has banned ‘rave parties’ or DJ parties in the city as part of the New Year celebrations. Police has already rejected applications from major three and five star hotels in the city to host DJ Parties. Police in plain clothes will be present at all major hotels and other destinations, if any, are conducting the parties. Police maintained that hotels conducting DJ parties would be doing so at their own risk and would be liable to face police action if anything goes wrong.

Cops decided to take such a drastic step after the increase in drug abuse cases in Kochi city in the recent past. A meeting of all hotel owners will be convened on December 27 to brief them about the steps planned by cops. “This year we have taken a zero tolerance policy towards drug abuse. We are not against celebration or partying and we do not want to spoil the festive mood,” said Arul R.B. Krishna IPS, deputy police commissioner (law & order, Traffic).

He added, “We have asked hotel owners to stick to the deadline of 10 pm to stop serve liquor. If we find that a particular hotel is serving liquor after the permitted time we will take action including for harboring the accused.” Meanwhile, the excise department also issued similar directives to the star hotels. When contacted, hotel owners refused to comment on the issue. Interestingly, many top hotels in the city have already announced DJ parties with celebrity DJs to welcome 2017. Party goers, meanwhile, opposed the police move and claimed that police should stop introducing unnecessary curbs.