PEW intesifies drive against illicit liquor

Tiruchirapalli, May 30 (UNI) The Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW) of the Tamil Nadu Police has intensified its drive against illicit liquor in the state in the wake of the recent hooch tragedy on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border region, according to Tamil Nadu Additional Director General of Police (PEW) Shyam Sundar.

Addressing a press conference here today, he said out of the total 45 people, who died in the hooch tragedy in the region, 12 belonged to Pinnamangalam village in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu.

As a follow up measure, a high level coordination committee, consiting of Inspector General of Police, Western Zone, Sanjay Arora and his team and police officials from Karnataka, had been constituted to check such offences in both the states, especially in the border areas, he added.

He said that apart from 12 PEW check posts in Krishnagiri district, mobile PEW check posts were set up on the border regions of Tamil Nadu.

Mr Sundar said after the hooch tragedy, the Tamil Nadu PEW booked at least 500 cases per day against the prohibition offenders as against the 300 to 350 cases booked in a day during 2007.

To a question, he said during January and May 28 this year, 20,36,408 litres of illicit arrack was seized and 230 people were booked under the Bootleggers Act between January and April this year.

It was decided to involve the Superintendent of Police in the respective district and his team along with the 96 PEW units in the state in the raids, he added.

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