Soro: A staff of the Excise department was beaten up by supporters of an illegal liquor trader near the Soro court square in Balasore last evening.
The Excise department staff, identified as Prabhas Mohanty was attacked by supporters of the liquor businessman who was arrested and taken to the Soro jail.
The video footage available with OTV shows Mohanty was chased and thrashed by the miscreants.
Following raids by the Excise department in Soro, Khantapada and Markona, the liquor trader and his four aides, part of a mafia, were arrested and produced before the court.
When the court rejected bail pleas of the five persons, Mohanty was taking the accused to jail when he was attacked outside the court.
Kehsab Chandra Daad, Excise Sub inspector said, "With an intention to snatch away the liquor trader, the miscreants attacked Mohanty outside the court."
Asked why only one excise personnel was accompanying the liquor businessman to the court, Daad stated, "Due to shortage of manpower we had not deployed more than one personnel at the court."
Soon the Excise department will lodge FIR against the miscreants and seek action against them, Daad added.