Nagpur: Attempts to resurrect Dabo Club barely weeks after it became the site of a double murder have sparked outrage, anguish, and deep insecurity among the families of the victims, raising serious questions about regulatory laxity and the influence enjoyed by errant nightlife establishments.
The club was shut for 45 days after a Christmas night turned fatal on December 26, when 27-year-old Pranav Ranavare was allegedly beaten to death over a trivial dispute during a party. His friend Gaurav Karda (34), grievously injured in the same attack, later succumbed during treatment. What should have been a night of celebration instead exposed the lawless culture allegedly thriving inside the club.
Gold Rate
17 Jan 2026
Sonegaon Police arrested six accused , Soumya Deshmukh, Mehul alias Monu Rahate, Rajiv Chawla, Abhay Jhamtani, Gappu Sharma and Tushar Nankani, all of whom remain lodged in jail. Yet, disturbingly, even before the mandated closure period is completed, the club management has reportedly initiated moves to reopen the establishment, triggering public outrage.
Dabo Club is owned by directors Devyani Vijay Wadettiwar, Karan Vikram Thakkar and Mohd Hamza Rayeen, and, according to police sources, carries a notorious history of violence, harassment and repeated violations. Despite multiple warnings, the management allegedly continued to operate with impunity. Investigators found that the club had deliberately installed a grossly inadequate number of CCTV cameras, a move suspected to be aimed at concealing unlawful activities within the premises.
On the night of the incident, more than 150 people were packed into the club without any age verification, with several minors allegedly allowed entry, in blatant violation of norms. The club was operating far beyond its permitted capacity, turning the venue into a volatile pressure cooker. Police records indicate that seven to eight incidents of violence and harassment were reported over the past three years, while several others were allegedly hushed up to evade police scrutiny.
In view of these grave violations, DCP Zone I Rishikesh Singa Reddy ordered the closure of the club on December 27 under Section 163(2) of the BNSS. However, shockingly, barely 20 days into the shutdown, efforts to restart the club have reportedly begun — a move that families of the deceased have termed “insensitive, dangerous and unacceptable.”
“We are shattered and horrified. Two lives were lost in that place, and yet there seems to be more urgency to reopen a club than to ensure justice and safety,” said anguished relatives of the victims, questioning whether commercial interests are being prioritised over human lives.
Confirming the development, DCP Rishikesh Singa Reddy told Nagpur Today, “An application to restart the club has been received from the management on Saturday. However, no decision has been taken so far.”
The attempted revival of Dabo Club, even as a double murder case remains under trial, has once again brought the spotlight on Nagpur’s nightlife regulation — and whether enforcement agencies will stand firm or allow a tainted establishment to resume operations as if nothing ever happened.
