42 women arrested for illegal distillation in UP

Rampur (UP), Sep 22: Forty two women were among 85 persons arrested by Excise department during raids in a month for illicit distillation of liquor here, official said.

In August, over 85 persons were nabbed for the illegal distillation of liquor and its sale and 50 per cent of them were women, District Excise Officer, Radhey Shyam Tiwari said yesterday.

"During the month of August, 5,000 litres of intoxicating material, besides 13,000 litres of 'Lahan', a raw material out of which 4,000 litres of liquor could be extracted was recovered by the sleuths of the Excise department," Tiwari said.

He said that prior to August's raids, it was difficult for the male constables to arrest women culprits. "Now that we are equipped with lady constables and the protests raised by the offenders demanding lady constables has been obliterated with 50 per cent of women being arrested out of 80-90 persons," he said.

The Superintendent of Police was previously requested to avail female police and the process needed longer time thus helping illegal distillers to carry distillation and sales easily without any hindrance, Tiwari added.

PTI