Revanth Reddy targets BookMyShow, Sunburn for selling New Year party tickets without permissions

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has trained his guns at online ticketing platform BookMyShow and entertainment events organiser of Sunburn NYE 2024. Sunburn is the brand owned by Percept Ltd, an entertainment, media and communications, major based out of Mumbai.

Addressing the first Collectors and SPs conference on Sunday, the Chief Minister directed Commissioner of Cyberabad Police Avinash Mohanty to take serious action against the ticketing platform and the event organisers as well for selling tickets to underaged persons.

Asking the police department to initiate action for selling tickets online throwing caution to the wind. “Tickets for the Sunburn event are available on online booking platforms like BookMyShow. They do not have permission from the government. Without permission they are selling tickets for the December 31 night event, “ the Chief Minister pointed out.

Making it clear that entry into such events was banned for youngsters below 18 years of age, the Chief Minister observed that even schoolchildren were able to purchase these tickets online. “Inquire the BookMyShow platform. They can't sell tickets without permission from authorities,” Revanth Reddy said.

He wanted the officials not to view the New Year Eve parties as revenue earners. He recalled that Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka had banned the events. Children below the age of 21 years were being sold liquor. These events spread destructive activities, he said.

“Friendly policing means friendly with people, not with criminals,” Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said.

Calling for the eradication of the drug menace from the face of Telangana, Revanth Reddy said that the Narcotic Bureau must play an important role in this initiative. “We know what happened to Punjab. Telangana is moving in that direction now. I have information about the drug menace. The police force must take stern action following my directions,” CM said.

Asking police to be equipped with new technologies to curb cybercrime, said that it would be very difficult to differentiate regular crime from that of cybercrime. “The Sunburn event was banned in Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. But they are selling tickets here. We have to be tough. Don't spare anyone,” he asked the SPs.

He directed the Telangana police to keep a tab on the entry points of ganja from the Andhra Orissa Border (AOB) area by employing additional officers to monitor the movement of drugs into the State.

Elaborating on the motto of friendly policing, the Chief Minister pointed out that drugs and other narcotic substances could be availed by students even in small towns. “Friendly doesn't mean that you offer the drug peddler a seat at the police station,” CM said.

Meanwhile Cyberabad Police Commssioner Avinash Mohanty in a statement said that the police gave no permission to Sun Burn event or the Book my show app to sell tickets.

He said that the police already summoed the representatives of Boom my show and warned themof action. He said that prior permission was a must for anyone who want to organise new year events.

Spurious seed

Calling upon the police to create a data bank on dealers that manufacture and trade spurious seeds in the State, the Chief Minister held poor quality seeds as the main reason for distress in the farming community in the State. “If you file a case on the last point of sale, they would change the name of the seed company. We will be able to curb the menace only when we can shut down the seed-making firm,” he said. When the assets of the drug mafia could be seized, why not the properties of seed makers, he added.

He also asked the police to monitor the social media for posts that could damage the communal harmony in the State.