More liquor seized as campaign gains pace

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 24

Rise in seizure of illegal liquor is being witnessed in the district after all major political parties have declared their candidates for the Assembly elections.

District Election Officer Harbans Singh Chugh had directed the police, administration, Transport Department and the Excise Department to intensify the drive against liquor being supplied illegally in the district, particularly for election campaigning.

As per the District Election Office control room, the seizure drive has been carried out at 310 places till date with approximately 2,450 litre of illegal liquor being seized since the election code of conduct came into effect.

Of this, 2,200 litre country-made liquor and 250 litre English liquor has been seized. In this regard, 51 arrests have been made and 60 cases have been lodged by the district police.

Several teams have been made by the police, Excise and Transport Department to nail the offenders trying to supply illegal liquor in the district, which is mostly to be used for election campaigning purposes to lure voters.

Superintendent of Police, Rural Segment, Manikant Mishra said joint squads were also carrying out raids at suspected spots and of vehicles and intense checking was being done at border areas of the district.

Excise Inspector Darshal Singh Chauhan carried out a raid on a country-made liquor unit at the forest terrain of Bahadrabad yesterday, though no arrest was made as the culprits ran away before the squad reached the spot.

Sanjay Chopra, president of Teerth Maryada Raksha Samiti, a social-religious organisation, has urged the Election Commission to direct the police and Excise Department to carry out impromptu raids and vigil at the election offices of the candidates as during night many a cases of liquor being offered to party workers and local voters had come to light in the district.