Muktsar: Hooch makers take shelter in wild growth along canal

Archit Watts

Muktsar, April 29

The dense wild growth along the Abohar branch minor between Kattianwali and Chanan Khera villages has become a headache for the excise sleuths and the police of Muktsar and Fazilka districts. The place is proving a safe haven for some notorious people living nearby to prepare hooch and the authorities concerned are unable to keep a check on this illegal practice despite the repeated raids.

For instance, within a month, the joint teams of excise sleuths and police of these districts have recovered nearly 40,000-litre ‘lahan’ (raw material used to prepare hooch) from this place, which over the years has earned the notoriety of “illicit liquor den”.

A raiding team on April 24 recovered nearly 15,000-litre ‘lahan’ buried in the soil in 28 tarpaulin sheets, destroyed it. Earlier, on March 26, nearly 22,000-litre ‘lahan’ was recovered from the same place.

Sources in the Excise Department said those involved in preparing hooch had a vast network and they often manage to escape before the raid. “They have been selling their produce to nearby areas for the past few years. All the successive state governments have failed to stop this practice. Just a few people have been arrested in the past. This place is not easily approachable due to dense wild growth, which makes it dangerous too. If one goes here even during day time, he/she can smell something brewing here,” sources said.

Vikram Dev Thakur, Assistant Commissioner (Excise), Faridkot range, said, “Our teams regularly conduct raids at this place, which is located on the boundaries of Muktsar and Fazilka districts. Some notorious people living nearby do such activities at night. We are now writing to the department concerned to clear the wild growth to curb this menace.”

Meanwhile, Fateh Singh Brar, DSP, Lambi, said, “The investigation is underway and those found doing illicit liquor business will be sent behind bars.”