Dehradun, October 14: District Magistrate Savin Bansal has taken stern action following the fire incident at Circle Bar located on Rajpur Road in Dehradun. Taking a serious view of the matter, the District Magistrate has suspended the bar’s license for 15 days and ordered a joint investigation into the incident.
The inquiry is being conducted under the leadership of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Sadar) and In-charge Excise Officer Hari Giri, along with officials from multiple departments. The administration emphasized that public safety remains its top priority, and any negligence endangering human life will invite strict punitive measures.
According to preliminary findings, gross violations of safety norms and license conditions were discovered at the bar. The investigation revealed that on the third floor of the Circle Bar (FL-7), where around 40–50 people were present, two barmen were performing a fire-juggling show—an act they were neither authorized nor trained to perform. During the act, both barmen sustained burn injuries.
Officials noted that the ceiling of the hall was made of wood and branches, creating a highly combustible environment that could have led to a major disaster. “Such acts reflect a complete disregard for safety standards and public welfare,” the District Magistrate said, warning that similar violations in the future will attract stricter punitive action.
The inspection further revealed that the bar’s management had employed barmen for activities outside their designated role of serving liquor, in clear violation of licensing conditions. The reckless behavior not only endangered the lives of the performers but also put nearly 50 patrons at risk.
In light of these findings, the District Magistrate, exercising powers under Section 34 (b) & (e) of the Excise Act (“Power to cancel or suspend the license, etc.”), has suspended the license of Circle Bar for 15 days.
The District Administration reiterated that such incidents will be dealt with zero tolerance. “The administration will go to any extent to ensure public safety and maintain law and order,” DM Bansal said.
