120 Punjab cops to tighten noose on liquor smuggling from Haryana

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 3

A special police team has been constituted to keep a check on inter-state liquor smuggling from Haryana in the bordering areas of Bathinda and Mansa in Bathinda Range.

Bathinda Range IGP Jaskaran Singh said: “There is zero tolerance policy against inter-state liquor smuggling from Haryana. A team of 120 police personnel has been deputed in the district to plug smuggling routes from Haryana.”

The IGP said: “The team has been told to conduct surprise raids instead of holding static nakas on the link roads with Haryana.”

Cases of inter-state liquor peddling are on the rise in the region, as 593 cases were registered under the Excise Act and 499 people were arrested in Bathinda and Mansa in the last two months.

The spike in liquor smuggling cases from Haryana could also be attributed to cheap liquor prices in the state. Despite continuous patrolling, bootleggers are able to smuggle liquor into the state primarily from Sirsa and Dabwali in Haryana.

A police official said: “Nobody will dare to smuggle liquor through routes where check posts have been set up. Those involved in the trade are well aware of the internal link roads that lead to Bathinda.”

Another cop said with a number of link roads connecting Haryana with Punjab, it had become tough for them to check every vehicle. However, they were still at it. There were 14 routes to enter Punjab from Haryana, and another route via a drain, the cop added.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.