Liquor smuggling a major issue for contractors, police

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 14

Liquor smuggling from Haryana into Bathinda district is one of the major issues for wine contractors and police officials.

The police arrest smuggles on a daily bases who bring liquor from Haryana and sell it in border districts, including Bathinda, Mansa, Muktsar and Fazilka.

The Bathinda police have registered a total of 858 cases under various sections of the Excise Act in past six months.

The price of liquor is less in Haryana as compared to Punjab and smugglers are causing a revenue loss to contractors and the state government.

The Punjab Government has issued instructions to the police to tighten the noose around the liquor smugglers.

Last year, liquor contractors had not shown any interest during auctions due to smuggling. Contractors turned up at auctions after Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal assured them that the police would act tough against smugglers and not a single bottle of Haryana-made liquor was to be sold in the district.

Thereafter, the police have started taking action against the smugglers. They have also booked a person who was carrying a bottle of illicit liquor. The Nathana police arrested Jaskaran Singh with five bottles of illicit liquor from Tungwali village yesterday.

Even some villagers also started smuggling liquor from Haryana into Punjab for earning money. They use motorcycles, scooters, cars and tractor-trolleys to bring the liquor from the neighbouring state.

The Bathinda police have laid a permanent naka on the Haryana border near Doomwali village to check smuggling.

Around a few months ago, the police recovered around 600 boxes of illicit liquor, which were being carried in tractor-trolleys.

Besides CIA-I and CIA-II, the Bathinda police have formed an anti-liquor cell to check smuggling.

SSP Naveen Singla said strict action would be taken against liquor and drug smugglers. The SSP said they had initiated a drive against the smugglers in the district.

Contractors fear revenue loss 

The price of liquor is less in Haryana as compared to Punjab and smugglers are causing a revenue loss to the contractors and the government.    

The state government has issued instructions to the police to tighten the noose around the liquor smugglers. 

In 2016, liquor contractors had not shown any interest during auctions due to smuggling. Contractors turned up at auctions after Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal assured them that the police would act tough against smugglers and not a single bottle of Haryana-made liquor was to be sold in the district. 

Thereafter, the police have started taking action against the smugglers.