Sambalpur: Liquor floods in Education city Burla where foreign liquor is banned, SP seeks report from Burla IIC

Sambalpur: Despite the government crackdown on the sale of foreign liquor in education city Burla, the SP has taken the liquor business there seriously. A detailed report has been requested from the district police headquarters to the Burla police station after the publication of the news “Liquor flood in the educational city where foreign liquor is banned”. On the contrary, new information has come to the fore today regarding the trade of foreign liquor in Burla.

According to the information received, there are no government licensed shops in Burla, but there are many shops running illegally without a license. In Gopbandhu Street, Netaji Street, Lakshmi puja Street, Veer Surendra Sai Street, Bishnumandir Pada and some other areas, foreign liquor is being sold day and night. The government has temporarily started the system of liquor home delivery during the Corona period But Burla’s wine merchants have started this business many years ago.

Compared to other cities in the state, Burla has a higher population of high salaried and upper income class people, many of whom are regular customers of these liquor dealers. Some of them bring money in lump sum while others charge monthly fee, on the other hand, a certain liquor dealer sells liquor in the main places of the city like bars with this home delivery system.

Inside the liquor store, there are several bar stools and tables, while the customers sit there comfortably and drink liquor according to their needs like a bar, where liquor bottles are also sold as expensive ‘pegs’. On the contrary, some other people stand in front of the shop and drink liquor and go away. Even though many complaints have been made against the concerned liquor dealer, no action is ever taken against him,” said an alert citizen of the city. Other liquor stores also have special arrangements for drinking. Not only that, fish, meat and other delicious food items are also available there for “tasting”. On the contrary, Burla Police is under pressure when the district police headquarters took this incident seriously. Today, two teams of Burla Police raided Bishnupada at Temple Street and Gopbandhu Street and arrested Rajendra Saha and Shyam Goud. Excise department have many tasks, starting from enforcement of narcotics to law enforcement, crime control. It is alleged that the Exciise department is indirectly giving incentives to the people dealing in illegal liquor without taking any action. Despite the fact that liquor is being sold day and night at the stalls on the side of the national highway in Burla thana area, the police and the excise department have remained silent, instead of taking action against the stall owners, the police have been accused of protecting them.

Still the Excise Department is Silent!

It is worth mentioning that last July 14, 1984, there was a clash between the students of University College of Engineering (UCE) Burla and the residents of Burla, and in a fatal incident during this clash, 11 talented students died. The state government then constituted the Slave Commission, and after this incident, the sale of foreign liquor in Burla was banned.

Two liquor dealers arrested, 7 liters of liquor seized

Burla: Finally, Burla police has shown promptness and two liquor dealers of the city have fallen into the hands of the Burla police. Two illegal liquor dealers arrested, Rajendra Saha of Vishnu Mandir Pada and Shyam Gowda of Majhipali area. Today seized 37 liters of liquor from them while the police arrested the two accused and brought them to court. The police have shown urgency. Two police teams were formed under the direction of the IIC of Burla police station and raided the illegal liquor shops in different parts of the city. The two major liquor dealers of the city were arrested near Market area Bishnu Temple. 725 liters of foreign liquor was seized. Similarly, 17 different brands from the Shyam Gowda shop near Gopbandhu Street. 650 liters of foreign liquor was seized. Both the liquor dealers have been arrested and taken to court on charges of illegal liquor dealing