Liquor death: Villagers vandalise shops

BHUBANESWAR: Anti-liquor protest in Khurda erupted on Monday after the death of a person at Haladia village.

Irate over the death which allegedly was due to alcohol consumption, the locals ransacked liquor shops in the area and also staged a road blockade.

It is alleged, one Nursingha Pati from Haladia died after consuming country liquor. Following protests and vandalism, police reached the spot to control the agitated locals and rescued the liquor shop employees.

The protesters vandalized Haladia hospital as well alleging that the Nursingha died due to lack of ambulance and doctors at the hospital.

Bobby Majhi, a protestor from the village alleged, “The government is launching several schemes claiming to offer several life-enhancing benefits, but liquor consumption is taking lives. We want to free our area from liquor for which it is necessary to shut down the liquor shops in the locality.”

Khurda sub-divisional police officer Jugal Kishore Dash said the locals demanded for proper medical services.

“After holding discussions with the villagers, we have decided to take steps to improve health care services,” he said

Last year on December 19, a similar case had cropped up in Khurda when a youth died in a road mishap in front of a liquor shop following which the locals had set the liquor shop on fire and staged protests.