Tractor-trolleys seized for carrying illicit liquor

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 8

In what seems to be the first case of its kind, illicit liquor has been smuggled from Haryana through tractor- trolleys. The Bathinda Police have arrested four accused with two tractor- trolleys and recovered 155 boxes of illicit liquor. The accused arrested by the CIA-2 police belong to Bathinda and had used a new formula. They fitted boxes of illicit liquor in the trolleys and covered them with bricks.

On May 28, the CIA-2 police had arrested Resham Singh, a resident of Gehri Butter village and Mangu Singh, a resident of Malwala village with 100 boxes and recovered an Eicher tractor-trolley. In this case, boxes of illicit liquor were been covered by bricks. A case was registered at the Raman police station.

In the second case, the police arrested Kulwinder Singh, a resident of Barda Gurda village of Sirsa district and Lakhbeer Singh with 55 boxes of illicit liquor and recovered an Eicher tractor. Here too, boxes were covered by bricks. The case was registered at the Canal Colony police station.

Nearly 150 cases of smuggled illicit liquor have been registered by the Bathinda Police in the recent past and the liquor was recovered from cars in 17 of these cases. In 23 cases, the police had recovered the liquor from motorbikes.

Smuggling from Haryana has been taking place as there is a huge difference in the rates of wine in Punjab and Haryana. Liquor is quite cheaper in Haryana as compared to Punjab.

Due to the smuggling, there was no contractor ready to take contract for wine shops in Bathinda district. It was only after an assurance by the state government that contractors from other districts agreed to bid for contracts but the smuggling of illicit liquor is still going on.