A late night freshers' and Friendship Day bash of about 490 student hostelites, mainly from the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (Sims) in Khadki, went sour on Sunday night, when the Pune police busted the illegal party at a city jeweller's farmhouse on the city's outskirts.

The presence of 235 college girls, many in short skirts, took the police by surprise, even as visuals on television channels rocked the city. The episode was reminiscent of a March 2007 drugs-and-liquor rave party busted by the police at Sinhagad in which 280 youth, including air hostesses, software engineers and collegians were arrested.

Some of the women students said they paid Rs300 per person and that their seniors had forced them to attend the party at the two-storey farmhouse 'Sindhu,' which has a swimming pool. Located in Theur, 25 km from Pune, the farmhouse is situated amidst sugarcane farms and guava orchards.

While there was no evidence of drugs being consumed at the party, 88 students were arrested for consuming liquor without permit and were later released on bail. Boxes of beer and liquor valued at Rs17,000 were confiscated from the site.

While the students had left their hostels in 10 luxury buses at around 7 pm, the police raid began after 10.30 pm. The women students were let off after nearly 12 hours, at around 9 am on Monday. The men were detained for nearly 20 hours, till 4 pm. Symbiosis College authorities arrived at the spot at 2.30 am and were present till the police action was completed.

The party was well-organised, with the students arriving at the farmhouse in 10 buses. Parked on a narrow road connecting Ahmednagar highway with Theur junction, the buses caused a traffic jam, forcing the locals to call the police.

Alok (25) and Sushil (22), sons of city jeweller Chittaranjan Ashtekar, who owns the farmhouse, were among those arrested. Other prominent student organisers arrested include Abhijit Suresh Patil (25), Kapil Satish Mehta (25), Sunit Sanjeev Saraf (25), Abhishek Yogesh Malik (26) and Sajid Hasan Nadaf (21). All of them were released on personal bonds of Rs2,000 each by a city court.

Deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Ravindrasingh breitling watches Pardeshi said assistant police inspector Balwant Mangade reached the spot and found liquor being consumed openly and the students dancing to loud music. The party organisers could not produce the police and excise department's permits for their bash, following which he initiated action.

Mangade called for a police force, including woman constables, and the team assisted Yves Saint Laurent by inspectors Suhas Garud, Pravin Khanapure, Narayan Pawar and others, swung into action.

"We called the district health officer for medical examination of the students. A seven-member team from the district health department examined all the 489 students of which 81 (all men) were found to have consumed liquor. Barring 88 students, including seven who had organised the party, all were sent back to the hostel by buses," Pardeshi said. Bus contractor Suresh Jadhav said the students had hired the buses from the tourist firm that regularly supplies vehicles to the college.

Chittaranjan Ashtekar's brother, Balasheb, said that some of the organisers of the party are friends of his nephews, Alok and Sushil, who were requested to make their farmhouse available.

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