Dhenkanal: A group of 15 excise officials were caught on the wrong foot after an illegal liquor trader and his henchmen confined them during a raid at Purunakote village under Kantabania police limits here Saturday.
The incident triggered tension in the area as Kantabania police reached the spot and rescued the detained excise officials. Police arrested two persons in this connection.
The accused were identified as illegal liquor trader Mahesh Sahu and his brother Ramesh Sahu. Cases were registered against six persons while four others are absconding.
Their henchmen Ishwar Sahu, Rati Gadnaik, Pratap Pradhan and Sanjay Dehuri against whom cases have been filed are reportedly absconding.
Excise officials led by SI Anita Ojha of Hindol and SI Samarjit Das of the mobile squad raided the shop and house of the siblings in the village.
Sahu’s supporters gheraoed the squad members and fought with them questioning the raid, the officials said. The mob also warned the officials that they would be assaulted and proceeded to retrieve the seized liquor bottles from their custody.
On being informed, excise superintendent Subhash Chandra Pradhan and SP Basant Kumar Panigrahi directed Kantabania IIC to rescue the detained excise officials. Separate cases were registered by police and excise officials in this connection.
When contacted, Pradhan said timely action by the police saved the officials from the custody of the bootlegger and his brother. Police said action against the accused will be taken for taking the law into their hands. PNN
