Bargarh: Tension ran high at tribal-dominated Churchpada near Dang on the outskirts of this town Thursday as irate women ransacked a country liquor shop and set it on fire after the administration failed to act on their demand for closure of the outlet.
The women flung liquor pouches and set the shop on fire. A youth, Kishore Bag, who had climbed atop the roof of the shop, broke his legs after he fell off.
Town police rushed to the spot and admitted Bag to the district headquarters hospital. Fire brigade doused the flames.
According to reports, the administration gave permission for opening of the liquor shop at a place bordering Dang in Bardol panchayat and Churchpada in Khaliapali panchayat despite stiff opposition from locals.
The locals renewed their demand for closure or relocating of the liquor shop which was set up close to a Kendriya Vidyalaya, a private ITI, a church, an orphanage and a pond where the locals took bath.
The residents had submitted a memorandum in this regard to the collector December 31, 2013. They even took up the matter with the SP, the excise superintendent and revenue divisional commissioner (north), but to no avail.
The authorities, instead of working on their demand, only went renewing the license of the liquor shop, the agitating women alleged. This indifference of the administration intensified their anger against the liquor shop, the women said.
Khaliapali sarpanch Bijay Lakra and samiti member Manoj Hajra Wednesday asked the owner to close down the shop in larger interests of the local residents. The owner closed the shop for the day but reopened it Thursday.
This flared up tension in the area and women carrying lathis marched towards the shop. They asked its worker to come out before ransacking the shop and setting it on fire.
The women led by Valeria Xalco said liquor shop has destroyed peace in the locality.
She said students are finding it difficult to study while women are reluctant to take bath in the pond due to presence of boozers. She claimed they were forced to take the step after all their pleas before the administration to close down the shop fell on deaf ears.
Attempts to contact excise superintendent Rama Chandra Mishra ended in vain as he did not respond to phone calls of this correspondent.
No complaint was filed with police, Town IIC Rajkishore Mishra said. PNN
