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Late-Night Revelry Costs 'Happiest Hour' Bar Its Licence in Agartala
Sep 16, 2025In a major crackdown on regulatory violations, the District Magistrate of West Tripura, Dr Vishal Kumar, has cancelled the licence of Happiest Hour, a popular rooftop bar located at U.D. Bhawan near Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan, Agartala. The decision, effective immediately, was taken in response to multiple breaches of the Tripura Excise Act and the specific conditions under which the bar was permitted to operate.
According to the official order, the bar — run by licensee Goutam Debnath — was found serving liquor well beyond the permitted hours during a late-night DJ and dance event on September 6, 2025. As per the Tripura Excise licence norms, bars are allowed to operate only between 11:00 am and 11:00 pm. However, CCTV footage and field reports confirmed that liquor was served past midnight without any prior permission from the police or competent authorities.
Officials described the event as an attempt to create a “night club culture”, which is explicitly not permitted under the bar licence. Further investigation revealed liquor being served in unauthorised enclosures, a direct violation of Clause 5 of the state’s notification governing bar operations.
Additionally, the licensee failed to comply with Clause 16, which mandates submission of a complete list of employees. Despite being issued show-cause notices on September 10 and 12, Debnath did not respond or offer any defence. This was treated by the administration as an admission of guilt.
Calling the violations a “serious breach of law” and a “deliberate disregard of regulatory provisions”, the District Magistrate invoked Clause 18 of the Excise licence, which allows for immediate forfeiture in the event of infringement. Consequently, Licence No. 97, issued on April 11, 2025, was revoked with immediate effect.
Debnath has been directed to surrender the original licence, along with all liquor stocks, business records, and CCTV footage, to the Superintendent of Excise. The order further warns that non-compliance will invite penal action, including prosecution under the Tripura Excise Act, 1987.
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