Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada Excise Department conducted surprise inspections at more than 10 bars, pubs and licensed establishments across Mangaluru as part of a special drive to curb underage drinking and ensure compliance with liquor regulations.

The inspections, carried out between 8 pm and 10.30 pm, focused on verifying the age of customers and checking whether liquor was being served to individuals below the legal drinking age of 21 years.

No violations found during inspections

Deputy Superintendent of the Excise Department, Gayathri C.H., said officials checked identity documents of customers at the establishments but found no irregularities.

“We inspected more than 10 establishments and verified the identity documents of customers. No irregularities were detected. However, owners and employees were warned that liquor must not be served to anyone below 21,” she said.

Excise teams were deployed simultaneously at multiple locations to ensure the inspections remained unannounced and effective.

Drive launched after Manipal crackdown

The special enforcement drive follows a recent crackdown in Manipal, where cases were registered against the owners and managers of six pubs and bars after 88 people below the age of 21 were allegedly found consuming alcohol.

Gayathri said that while routine inspections are conducted regularly, this was the department’s first coordinated drive specifically aimed at preventing the sale of liquor to underage customers.

She added that similar surprise inspections would continue in the coming months.

Establishments reminded of legal responsibility

The Excise Department has instructed licence holders to verify customers’ age using government-issued identity documents such as Aadhaar cards, PAN cards or driving licences before serving liquor.

Warning boards have also been installed at licensed establishments, stating that liquor should not be served to anyone below 21 years. Similar notices have been displayed cautioning against drug use on the premises.

The officer noted that frequent staff turnover in bars and restaurants makes continuous awareness essential. Owners have been asked to ensure newly recruited employees are familiar with age-related restrictions and comply with verification norms.

Excise teams also checked some establishments for suspected drug use during the raids, but no such violations were detected.

The inspections were conducted under the guidance of Dakshina Kannada Excise Deputy Commissioner Bindushree.