A group of children staged a dharna in front of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) retail liquor outlet at Poonthalail in Kottamukku on Saturday in protest against its functioning.
The children, who raised slogans against the alleged nuisance posed by those patronising the outlet, succeeded in preventing the opening of the outlet on Saturday. They stayed put there till noon and dispersed only when the Bevco authorities gave an assurance that the outlet would not be opened.
The children said they would block attempts to open the shop on Sunday. The move was part of an agitation launched in September last year when residents of the area formed an action council to prevent the operation of the outlet.
Residents of the area alleged that following the closure of liquor bars in the city, tipplers had began consuming liquor openly in the vicinity of the Poonthalil Bevco outlet.
As the agitation intensified, Bevco authorities had sought time till March 31 this year, by which time they would shift elsewhere. But the outlet was opened on April 2 and when the residents enquired about it, they were told that the outlet was opened for settling accounts and not for sale.
However, on April 3, when the outlet opened for sales, the resident staged a dharna and blocked its opening. They then learnt that the outlet was not going to be shifted as the Bevco authorities had not got an alternative premise on rent.
That led to the agitation by the children of the area on Saturday..
