The Hindu : Anti-liquor activists plan stir from Jan. 1

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 24, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Anti-liquor activists plan stir from Jan. 1

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Dec. 23. The anti-liquor activists in the district have threatened to launch an agitation from January 1 in protest against the alleged nexus by a section of the district police officials and the liquor lobby.

In a statement here today, the joint secretary of the Madya Virudha Janakeeya Munnani, Rasalayyan, charged that crores of rupees worth illicit liquor was being pumped into the district well before Christmas and New Year with the connivance of a section of police officials.

The Munnani feared that a liquor tragedy might occur any time due to the unchecked flow of illicit liquor. The Munnani had approached the Chief Minister and the DGP with complaints in this regard, supported by evidence, but in vain, the statement said.

There were around 400 retailers of illicit liquor in the rural district and about five per cent of the prominent retailers among them were giving payoffs to a senior police official, the statement alleged.

As part of the agitation, junction meetings, street-plays, public trials and indefinite fasts would be staged, the Munnani said.

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