DNA
Mumbai, Mar 16: The recent rave spectre appears to have done little to deter revellers. Invites to rave, trance and other exotic-themed parties continue to be bandied about on networking sites like Orkut. Moreover, sites peddling sex and dating opportunities are also on offer.
Considering the fact that it was the invite posted on Orkut that led to the rave party bust in Pune, it is odd that this step of the modus operandi hasn’t been altered. In fact, the bust has neither warned nor deterred users from posting more party invites or profiles for sex and dating services.
A cursory search for rave parties in India on Orkut threw up a shocking result — An invite for rave party to be held in Bhubhaneshwar in the coming three weeks. Party organisers have floated a community named Bhubhaneshwar Rave, which has 611 members. Another community Rave and Trance with 2,432 members has party invite for a March 19 party that will be held at a Gurgaon.
City youth aren’t lagging behind either. An invite for a party at Pollyesther this weekend promises ‘Music, masti and much more’. Requesting anonymity, a party-organiser on the site, said, “The rave scene on the fringes of the city has slowed down a bit. Police are on the prowl.” He, however, was confident that things would pick up soon.
A post at one of these sites reveals Gorai beach hosted a rave party on January 10. India’s biggest rave, if posts on Orkut are to be believed, was a five-day affair from November 2 to 6 at Jaipur Highway.
If police have learnt a lesson from the recent rave party bust, then sites like Orkut need to be put under the scanner. However, officials from the Cyber Crime Cell concede that postings on networking sites are scanned only upon receipt of specific complaints.
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