Post News Network
Cuttack, Oct 1: A group of women of Mangalasahi at Nuapada under Madhupatna police limits here Wednesday ransacked an illegal country liquor shop and destroyed hundreds of liquor bottles.
They also chased away some customers at the shop and handed over the liquor trader to the police. The women also gheraoed Madhupatna police station and sought speedy action against the trader.
Sources said hundreds of women armed with bamboo sticks attacked the liquor shop in the morning. They destroyed liquor bottles in the shop. The women activists also attacked a few employees of the shop and overpowered shop owner Abhimanyu Nayak.
According to sources, Nayak was running the liquor shop for years by bribing some police and excise department officials. The residents had lodged several complaints regarding the illegal business with police, but no action was initiated in this regard.
“The liquor unit is close to a primary school. Besides, drunkards were passing lewd comments at women passing on the road. Police did not take action against the liquor trader despite repeated pleas,” a woman activist said.
Locals said they had organised meetings and passed resolutions seeking closure of the liquor shop. However, the liquor traders stifled their voices with the help of police and hired goons. “Illegal liquor traders have hired goons to terrorise the locals. Police did not take any action against the traders,” alleged senior citizen Rabi Singh.
Madhupatna police in-charge JK Dalei said they have registered a case against the accused and will produce him in a local court.
When contacted, district excise inspector Sitakanta Muduli said, “We had nabbed a few illegal liquor traders from the locality recently and produced them in the court. However, they resumed the trade clandestinely after their release from jail.”
