State Excise Officials Halt German DJ Stella Bossi's Mumbai Gig (Watch Video)
State excise officials halted German DJ Stella Bossi's Mumbai gig at AntiSocial in Lower Parel due to missing a mandatory one-day club licence after a last-minute venue shift, mistakenly drawing online backlash directed at the Mumbai Police. 'You're 50 minutes into your set in Mumbai and the police finally found the OFF button,' Bossi said.
A techno music performance by renowned German DJ Stella Bossi at a popular Mumbai club was abruptly halted. While initial social media reports and online reactions mistakenly blamed local law enforcement, authorities later clarified that state excise officials intervened due to missing event permits.
The Incident and Online Backlash
Bossi was performing part of her scheduled set at the AntiSocial club in Lower Parel when officials stepped onto the stage to cut short the music. Footage of the intervention quickly circulated online, showing a uniformed official gesturing for the performance to end. Mumbai SIR Scam Alert: How Cyber Fraudsters Use Fake Voter List Errors to Hack Phones via APK Files.
Stella Bossi Says Police Found the Off Button
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Taking to social media, the artist posted a video of the interruption with a caption that drew widespread attention: "POV. You're 50 minutes into your set in Mumbai and the police finally found the OFF button. Sorry guys we tried everything. Coming back soon." The post triggered an immediate online outcry, with many fans and internet users criticising the Mumbai Police. However, a senior police official quickly clarified that no personnel from the police department had visited the site, confirming that the officials present were from the state excise department.
Why the Gig Was Halted
According to excise department officials, the interruption stemmed from unauthorised venue changes and missing permits. Organisers had initially planned to host the event at the Cruise Terminal in Ballard Estate, but after permission was denied for that location, they shifted the concert to the Lower Parel venue. While the venue operates as a permitted establishment, officials noted that hosting a large ticketed party requires a separate, mandatory one-day club licence. Mumbai Weather Forecast & Update for Today, Monday, 24 August 2026: Light Drizzle and High Humidity Expected, High of 29°C.
"We got to know about the change and that they did not have a one-day club licence meant for area safety specifications, emergency exits, fire safety and other safety permissions required for a party. Acting on a tip-off from the police, we went to the packed permit room around 8.00 pm while the party was on and stopped it,” said excise superintendent Sudhir Pokale, reports The Times of India. Officials also said that they reached the venue three hours after the programme began and not 50 minutes as the viral post claimed. This specific permit ensures compliance with safety evaluations, crowd-to-floor-area ratios, fire-safety arrangements, and proper emergency exits. Because the organisers failed to secure this secondary clearance for the new location, state excise authorities stepped in to shut down the packed event.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 24, 2026 02:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).