KATHMANDU: Nepal Police today raided Babylon discotheque in Sundhara this morning and detained 356 girls and boys of 34 schools and colleges for indulging in immoral activities after bunking classes.
A team of Metropolitan Police Sector, Janasewa, raided Babylon at 8 am and apprehended 62 girls and 294 boys. When the police reached the venue, some were dancing on a Hindi remix song, while others were sitting on the
sofas or lying on the floor. The police took them to City Police to screen them for drugs and alcohol.
However, they tested negative and at 4 pm the police called their guardians and teachers and released them, said MPS team leader Inspector Abadesh Bista.
Students from Plus Two and Grades VIII, IX and X from Sigma College, Xavier Academy College, White House College, Patan Campus, Campion College, Cambridge College, Little Angel’s College, Shri Ganesh Boarding School, Kantipur College and Amar Deep School were among those detained.
Some students were in their uniform for the bunkers’ party. Every Friday, Babylon and other discos organise such parties and charge only Rs 50 as entry fee. On other days the entry from Rs 200- Rs 500, said Vicky Shrestha (name changed) from Sigma College, Thamel.
Metropolitan Commissioner’s Office spokesperson SSP Madhav Prasad Nepal said all discotheques were supposed to close at 12 in the night and open not before 6 pm. “Most of those detained are in the age group 15-20 years. They started gathering at the disco since 7:30 this morning. Some students changed their uniforms into party clothes inside the disco. Some of them are underage,” said Nepal.
Nita Shah (name changed) from Ganesh Boarding School complained, “We admit that we should not have done this. But why police called the press and let them take our pictures. We are not criminals and we have not done a crime. At our age, such things are normal. Police should have kept us behind bars but should not have let our pictures be taken.” Madhav Khanal (name changed), who came to receive his daughter, complained, “I never knew that my daughter goes to discos and smokes cigarettes. I am an army officer and my wife works in a reputed bank. We have raised our kids in a healthy environment.
My daughter studies in Grade VIII and today she told her mother that she was going to school early from her friend’s house. She told her that she has to collect some books and they will go to school together.”
MCO AIGP Madan Bahadur Khadka said, “We released them because they tested negative for drugs and alcohol. Some are ignorant and underage kids. We called their guardians, informed them, took all details from them and then released them.” He added that the students told the police that three bouncers — two males and a female — fled the scene when the cops swooped on the disco. Hunt for the three bouncers and three owners of the disco was on, he added.
Babylon owner Subhash Palunga, along with X Bar owner Stallion Sherchan, was arrested from X Bar, Sundhara, yesterday. (THT) 
SID KOCK 