Guwahati: In the early hours of Sunday, when the clubs along RG Baruah Road began to empty out, a police team was already on the road.Led by deputy commissioner of police (central) Sambhavi Mishra, personnel from Geetanagar Police Station patrolled the stretch and the lanes around it, moving along groups of people found loitering, in what officials described as a routine checking drive.The drive followed repeated complaints from residents about alleged anti-social activity in the area after dark. Police were careful to stress its limits. “We have not made any arrest. We only assisted in dispersing the crowd that gathers in the area during late-night hours,” said Amarjyoti Gogoi, officer-in-charge of Geetanagar PS, adding that action had been taken on earlier complaints and would be again “if the situation continues”.For residents, the problem has a clear geography. A cluster of nightclubs, pubs and entertainment venues along the road draws crowds late into the night, and when those venues close, people spill onto the roadside. Residents allege that some of them linger and behave in ways that disturb the neighbourhood.“Once the night progresses, it becomes difficult for us to feel comfortable moving around,” said Raksha Dutta, who lives in the area. She also questioned the reactive nature of the policing: “The police need to keep a regular watch on the area rather than conducting checks only after complaints.”Not everyone wants the nightlife itself to be the target. Bastav Bharali, another resident, said the grievance is with conduct, not clubs. “We have no objection to people enjoying themselves,” he said, but disturbances on the street at night, he argued, can affect young people, particularly children returning home from tuition classes at late hours. “Our concern is to ensure that public spaces remain safe and peaceful for everyone.”
