Huge quantity of illicit liquor, 50,000 kg lahan seized in Hoshiarpur district
Inter-district crackdown in mand belt
In a major drive against illicit liquor, the Excise Department on Tuesday carried out a large-scale inter-district joint search operation in the sensitive mand areas under the Dasuya excise circle of Hoshiarpur district. During the drive, a substantial quantity of material used in the manufacture of illegal liquor was recovered and destroyed on the spot.
The seized materials included 15 tins, eight iron drums, four operational distillation units, five plastic cans, nearly 50,000 kg of lahan (fermented wash) stored in 95 tarpaulin covers and 75 litres of illicit liquor. The drive aimed to curb illegal distillation, prevent revenue loss and safeguard public health.
Assistant Excise Commissioner (AEC) Hanuwant Singh said the search operation began around 6 am and continued till afternoon. Extensive searches were conducted in mand areas along the Beas river, particularly in Bhikhowal, Terkiana and Saidpur villages, he said. “Owing to difficult terrain and proximity to water sources, these areas are considered vulnerable to illegal liquor production,” the AEC said.
The operation was supervised by SSP Sandeep Malik and Assistant Excise Commissioner Hanuwant Singh, while field action was led by Preet Bhupinder Singh, Excise Officer, Hoshiarpur-2. Dasuya DSP Hargurdev Singh, Dasuya SHO Amarjeet Kaur, Talwara SHO Satpal Singh, along with other senior police officials, also participated in the drive.
The joint inter-district campaign saw participation from the Hoshiarpur Excise Department, Gurdaspur Excise Department and the Punjab Police. The Hoshiarpur team included Inspectors Parvinder Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Rashpal Singh, Lovepreet Singh and Kulwant Singh, while Inspectors Deepak, Pankaj Gupta, and Kashmir Singh from Gurdaspur range assisted in the operation.
Such intensified drives in the sensitive areas would continue in the future, the AEC said, adding that coordinated efforts like these were crucial in effectively curbing the illegal liquor trade.
