The Udupi district police booked eight hookah consumers, and also the manager of the outlet, in Manipal, on Thursday. They were booked for violation of Section 4 (A) of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) 2003.
In a press note, Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said, on a tip off about illegal operation of a Hookah bar, a team of policemen from Manipal Police station raided DRNK Lab outlet on the first floor of Iris Plaza in Vidyaratna Nagar, off DC Office Road.
The police found S. Riyaz of Kundapur, Jeshan Abdul Zahir of Byndoor, Mohammed Sameer of Gangolli, Mohammed Sawad of Udupi, Krishna and Chiraj from Udupi, Taranath of Kaup and Anwith of Udupi, smoking hookah in the outlet.
The Manipal police booked the eight hookah consumers and outlet manager Mohammed Safwan of Bantwal taluk in Dakshina Kannada for offence under COTPA.
It was on May 30,2025 that Karnataka notified amendments to COTPA, which included Section 4A that prohibited opening or running of hookah bar.
