Illicit liquor trade in Puri, irate locals confront police over unchecked sale of alcohol

Tension ran high in Saripur village under the Astaranga block of Puri district on Sunday evening as irate locals gheraoed an illegal liquor sale center before confronting police personnel trying to disperse them later that evening.

Reports indicate that the locals were frustrated by an alleged unchecked sale of illicit alcohol in the village. They claimed that a known bootlegger was carrying out an unauthorised sale of beer despite their stiff opposition and repeated prompts to stop the illegal activities.

Allegations of Police Inaction

Sources also cited locals who mentioned that police were aware of the illegal liquor trade but had turned a blind eye to the reports, forcing them to take matters into their own hands.

Locals Confront Bootlegger at Night

At around 10 pm last night, a large gathering of locals surrounded the bootlegger and his ‘factory’ as he tried to move a shipment. The chaos prompted police intervention, who arrived at the scene and inspected the suspect’s residence.

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Rising Tensions and Escalation

Locals then alleged that police left the spot without making an arrest. Following this, tensions rose, and the situation began escalating, forcing authorities to return to the spot later that night. Reportedly, several villagers entered into heated arguments with the authorities.

Detention and Confiscation of Liquor

Later, during this visit, police detained the alleged bootlegger and conducted a thorough search of his premises. Three crates of both domestic and foreign liquor were eventually confiscated by police, after which the heightened tension dispersed.

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Demands for Further Searches

However, locals stated to sources that more illicit stock remains hidden and demanded that authorities conduct a further search of nearby homes.