It was not too long ago that a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by six accused, including five mi-nors, after partying at a pub in Jubilee Hills. The incident sent shockwaves across Hyderabad and sparked a debate on wheth-er teenagers should be allowed into pubs without supervision. In the immediate aftermath, fear of potential repercussions led several pubs and night-clubs across the Jubilee Hills– Madhapur–Gachibowli belt to tighten their entry norms. Groups or families accom-panied by anyone aged below 21 were turned away, and estab-lishments repositioned them-selves as strictly “adults-only” spaces. A few experimented with limited daytime access windows, allowing parents to bring children aged below 10, but the overall mood was one of caution.School farewells return to pubsThat caution, however, now appears to be evaporating. A fresh wave of school stu-dents-led farewell parties is quietly gaining mo-mentum in the city. Teenagers between 15 and 18 years, mostly from Classes 10 and 12, are once again stepping into clubs, for “informal farewells.” These gatherings are being planned independently, without the knowledge of schools and, in several cases, without any parental supervision. In one such instance, a Class 12 student organised a fare-well party for Class 10 students of his school at a popular nightclub on Road No 36 in Jubilee Hills – the very stretch that had once been at the centre of the earlier controversy. The turnout was expected to be significant, with nearly 120 to 150 students confirming their attendance. “The timings were from 4 pm onwards,” said an in-vitees. “All attendees were to be from Class 10, with only one Class 12 student to be present to coordi-nate the event. None of the parents were invit-ed,” he said. However, just a few hours before the party, the excise department got a whiff of the event and cancelled it in time, while issuing a warning to the club.Other student party venues catching onBeyond physical venues, a par-allel ecosystem of teen-focused parties is taking shape on social media. Several platforms are now curating and promoting events ex-clusively for high school students. One such platform, with over 2,200 followers, regularly uploads invitations showcasing teenagers dancing in pub-like settings, often with no visible adult supervision or security presence. While the platform claims that all necessary permissions are in place and that security person-nel are present at venues, some of the content circulating online has raised concerns. A particular video, which has garnered over 1.1 lakh views, appears to show inappropriate behaviour among students. The platform also oper-ates a dedicated website, allowing individuals to register for upcom-ing events, further streamlining access. The platform also posts in-vites like, “This isn’t just another school party. The date is locked. The music is loud. Classrooms are for Monday. Tonight is party pe-riod. Grab your gang. Forget the homework.”Most nightclubs, pubs open to student partiesWhen STOI made anonymous enquiries with pubs posing as a parent, most nightclubs and pubs agreed to hold parties for under-age kids. “Adult supervision is not necessary,” admitted a staff member at a nightclub in Jubilee Hills. When asked about potential risks, he maintained, “We ensure alcohol is not served to them.” One establishment, after initially hesitating, readily offered customised packages upon learning that a large group of school students, over 50, was being planned. Packages ranging from `1,200 to `3,000 per student, categorised from Bronze to Gold, were shared. “They can stay till the club shuts. No adult supervision is required,” the staff member assured STOI. When asked about arrangements for safe transport back home for underage attendees after the party, the response was telling: “That facility is only for those who drink.”Parents, schools stress strict enforcementParents say the trend is becom-ing difficult to control. The Hyderabad School Parents Asso-ciation (HSPA) acknowledges that such parties are again becoming the norm among teenagers. “We can’t control children. They come under peer pressure and want to go to these parties,” said Venkat Sainath from HSPA. “Schools immediately back off as these events are organised by students without their knowledge. If something goes wrong, who ex-actly is going to take responsibili-ty?” he asked. Schools, on their part, maintain that their role is limited once stu-dents step outside campus bound-aries. “We hold counselling and awareness programmes to guide students to stay away from such environments until an appropriate age. However, since these events take place after school hours, the responsibility also lies with parents and, importantly, with the establishments that allow such gather-ings,” said Minu Salooja, from a prominent city school.Non-alcoholic parties only during the dayBeing under 21, one cannot legally consume alcohol as it is strictly prohibited. However, entry into plac-es that serve alcohol is not entirely banned; minors can be present in family settings, like restaurants, where parents may drink, but chil-dren cannot,” said N Anji Reddy, su-perintendent, excise dept. However, in the case of student parties, especially where teenagers attend without adult supervision, not only alcohol but entry itself is not permitted, he explained. “And even if clubs allow such gatherings, they should only be al-lowed in the day for music, food, and socialising, but only with parents being present there. If any establish-ment is found serving alcohol to mi-nors, strict action will be taken, and authorities will keep a close watch on such events.” Anji Reddy added
