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A party held in the newly-built Ojhar airport on the night of January 31 is the subject of an investigation by the Nashik rural police. Police are checking if the party was in breach of the high-security status of the airport, which is located in the campus of Hindustan AeronauticsLtd. Police said the party, held on the lawns adjacent to the airstrip, was a send-off for a superintendent engineer of the public works department. The party was reportedly organised by the Builders’ Association of India, Nashik branch.
The airstrip belongs to HAL and defence air crafts like SU-30 MKI and MiGs take off and land there.
Around 2 am that night, residents of local village Janori tried to stop the vehicles of those coming from the party. Among those who attended the party were officials of PWD, the builders’ association and others, it is said. Next morning MP Harishchandra Chavan, who visited the airport, saw alcohol bottles and leftover food thrown in the open. After a call from the MP, superintendent of police (Nashik rural) Sanjay Mohite ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Speaking to dna, Mohite said, “We need to ascertain if there is any criminal violation of the law. The other aspect is the public venue. The airport is a public place and we need to ascertain if it can be used for such a purpose even if permissions were taken. Then there is the use of the DJ and loud music and we need to see if the Bombay Police Act was violated in this matter. In case there is any criminal violation, the police will take necessary action and in case there is any other flaw, it is for the administration to look into the matter. We are registering statements of the participants, organisers and villagers.”
President of Builders Association of India (Nashik branch) Vilas Birari said that the party was not illegal and that they had taken permission from the state excise and PWD department to give a send-off to the superintendent engineer on his retirement. Birari added that no untoward incident had taken place during the party.
Namdeo Umbarsare, Sarpanch of Janori village, told dna that villagers had objected to the loud party with alcohol, dance and music, because the villagers had given their lands for the purpose of the airport and not for such entertainment activities.
The Ojhar airport facility and its passenger terminal was built by the PWD department last year at a cost of Rs 84 crore.
Police probe into drunken party near Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd airstrip | idrw.org
The airstrip belongs to HAL and defence air crafts like SU-30 MKI and MiGs take off and land there.
Around 2 am that night, residents of local village Janori tried to stop the vehicles of those coming from the party. Among those who attended the party were officials of PWD, the builders’ association and others, it is said. Next morning MP Harishchandra Chavan, who visited the airport, saw alcohol bottles and leftover food thrown in the open. After a call from the MP, superintendent of police (Nashik rural) Sanjay Mohite ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Speaking to dna, Mohite said, “We need to ascertain if there is any criminal violation of the law. The other aspect is the public venue. The airport is a public place and we need to ascertain if it can be used for such a purpose even if permissions were taken. Then there is the use of the DJ and loud music and we need to see if the Bombay Police Act was violated in this matter. In case there is any criminal violation, the police will take necessary action and in case there is any other flaw, it is for the administration to look into the matter. We are registering statements of the participants, organisers and villagers.”
President of Builders Association of India (Nashik branch) Vilas Birari said that the party was not illegal and that they had taken permission from the state excise and PWD department to give a send-off to the superintendent engineer on his retirement. Birari added that no untoward incident had taken place during the party.
Namdeo Umbarsare, Sarpanch of Janori village, told dna that villagers had objected to the loud party with alcohol, dance and music, because the villagers had given their lands for the purpose of the airport and not for such entertainment activities.
The Ojhar airport facility and its passenger terminal was built by the PWD department last year at a cost of Rs 84 crore.
Police probe into drunken party near Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd airstrip | idrw.org
