Tribal women turn vigilante, ban liquor in MP village

Indore, Feb 6 (PTI) A hundred-odd tribal women inTalanpur village -- 180 km from here -- have turned vigilante,and declared a ban on liquor.

Fed up with husbands who get drunk and beat their wives,apart from wasting hard-earned money, the women in the villagehave come together under the banner of Mahila Samiti'', led by30-year-old Puni Bai.

The Samiti has declared that no liquor will be sold orconsumed in the village from today, and those defying thisnon-governmental prohibition'' would be fined heavily.

"There will be a ban on liquor sale in the village fromtoday. If any person is found selling it in the village,he/she will be fined Rs 2,100. Likewise, anyone found drunkwill have to shell out Rs 1,100 in fine," Puni Bai, a labourerherself, told PTI in her broken Hindi.

Further, an informer'' will get a reward of Rs 151, shesaid.

Recently, the Samiti women dismantled an illegal liquorproducing unit in the village. The incident made headlines.

Talanpur, with a population of around 3000, is a part ofKukshi assembly constituency in Dhar district whereby-election would be held on February 14 following the deathof leader of opposition in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, JamunaDevi.

But the women have warned the political parties not touse liquor to entice the voters on the polling day.