In the wake of reports of liquor shops and bars being broken into, the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (Tasmac) is shifting the stock at most of its outlets to nearby depots, where security has been strengthened.
As many as 22 cases of break-ins have been reported at Tasmac shops across the State and liquor worth ₹14 lakh has been stolen since the COVID-19 lockdown came into effect.
“We are not moving all the consignments into depots. We carried out an assessment of areas deemed sensitive along with district collectors and the police, based on which we are shifting the stock,” a government official said. “We have beefed up security at the depots. We have hired security guards for a few shops as well,” he added.
A Tasmac source said tipplers from both rural and urban pockets were becoming increasingly aggressive due to the lack of access to liquor and were targeting the shops, breaking down their doors. “Tasmac has now installed iron rods near the shutters in certain shops. So even if the lock is broken, the shutters can't be lifted,” he added.
Black market
Thefts apart, liquor is reportedly being sold in the black market at exorbitant prices in several pockets of the State. In some places, liquor bottles are being sold at prices that are ₹150-₹250 over the MRP. It is learnt that some shops had secretly stocked liquor in nearby premises a day before the lockdown began, and are now selling it to regular customers. “We are looking into this and the police are also aggressively taking up these issues as and when complaints come in,” a government official said.
Two shop managers told The Hindu that a proper assessment could be carried out only after the shops reopen. “A comparison has to be made with the closing stock on the day before the lockdown,” they said.
The managers said they had received instructions from the head office, and showed an SMS which read: “Whenever shop personnel indulge in illegal sale/theft of stock, they must be suspended immediately.”
Another SMS said that if there is any discrepancy in stock, the shop’s staff will be held responsible, and the difference amount will have to be paid immediately.
Tasmac, a cash cow for the Tamil Nadu government, sells liquor worth ₹78 crore to ₹80 crore a day, on an average.
