Tension prevailed at Soriyankuppam near Bahour on Wednesday after a protest against a liquor shop turned violent, with irate residents led by womenfolk ransacking an arrack shop and three liquor shops and setting fire to them.
The agitators also destroyed the stocks in the arrack shop and blocked traffic on the Soriyakuppam-Chavadi Road forcing the intervention of the police.
Soriyankuppam has over 11 liquor shops and two arrack shops doing brisk business. Following the Supreme Court order banning the sale of liquor on national highways, about five liquor shops functioning on Cuddalore Road made a bid to move to the locality despite stiff resistance from locals.
Road blockade
On learning about this about 500 residents of Soriyankuppam resorted to a road blockade on the Soriyankuppam-Chavady Road demanding the closure of all liquor and arrack shops in the area.
A team of policemen intervened and pacified them. At one stage, one group pelted stones on an arrack shop that continued to function. The agitators also went on a rampage and destroyed the stocks forcing the police to resort to a lathi charge.
Soon, a group of residents reached the spot and raised the nuisance caused by liquor shops in the area. Tension mounted after the protesters, joined by locals, headed to three liquor shops that had closed down following the protests and damaged the thatched roof, name boards and counters in front of the shops and set them on fire.
They raised slogans against the Excise Department for granting licence to the liquor shops to relocate from the highway to the locality despite stiff resistance from local people. The police resorted to a lathi charge and chased away the protesters.
Meanwhile, the police picked up 10 persons from Soriyankuppam in connection with the protests. The locals again resorted to a road blockade demanding their immediate release. A huge posse of police personnel have been deployed in Soriyankuppam to prevent any untoward incident.
Protests on the rise
Puducherry has been witnessing an increase in incidents of public anger against relocation of liquor outlets to residential areas. Residents of Korukkamedu and Andiyarpalayam had observed protests against relocation of liquor shops to their areas.
