MP: Shifting of liquor shop triggers clash in Bareilly

The excise and prohibition department has geared up to implement the Supreme Court’s orders with regard to closure of liquor shops located adjacent to the national and state highways.

Bhopal, April 6: Two vehicles were burnt and four others damaged in Bareilly town of Raisen district after locals and employees of a liquor contractor clashed over shifting of the shop to a residential area.

"The excise department officials were trying to shift the liquor shop from highway to Krishna Colony in the town on Wednesday in accordance with the Supreme Court directives," said police.

The SC has recently banned sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways. The residents of Krishna Colony, where the shop was being moved from the nearby highway, opposed this shifting.

The police said confrontation started after locals opposed the opening of a liquor shop in the residential area. "The local residents alleged that the employees of the contractor threatened and attacked them. In the melee, some people burnt two vehicles and damaged cars and jeeps," a police official of Bareilly police station told PTI. The situation was later brought under control.

Bareilly is about 115 kilometres from state capital Bhopal."The burnt and damaged vehicles belong to the liquor contractor and excise department. We have registered a case against the people on the complaint of excise officer Vivek Saxena. The residents have also lodged a complaint against excise department employees and contractor," the police official added.

The police said about a 12 to 13 people also suffered minor injuries in this incident. On April 3, BJP MLA from Indore-I, Sudarshan Gupta had demanded a total liquor ban in Madhya Pradesh and had extended support to the agitation against opening of liquor shops in residential areas. Reports from Indore said women from Patthar Mundla area of the city recited bhajans in front of liquor shop demanding its closure while protests were also organised in Pardeshipura area.

PTI