Alleging rising cases of domestic violence, hundreds of women from Naichanpur village on Monday demanded a complete ban on liquor sale in Bahanaga block of Baleswar district.

Falling on bended knees before the Collector at a grievance redressal meeting, the women complained that easy availability of alcohol is fuelling abusive behaviour of their husbands and distress in their homes. They also urged to let off the village ward members who have been arrested in connection with torching of a liquor shop owner’s vehicle.

“The villagers have no role in the incident. It is a ploy to trap us by the shop owner who sent his men to burn down his vehicle,” the women claimed before Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde. They were pacified after being assured of necessary action as per law.

Their desperate request followed violent clashes in the village over opening of a liquor shop recently. The shop then was shut down. But the owner approached the High Court; and after getting permission, again opened the shop amid police security on Saturday last.

A group of men who were supporting opening of the shop came to the village next day and attacked the resisting locals with sharp weapons. Villagers managed to detain a youth from the group and thrashed him. The youth confessed that they were sent by the liquor shop owner to intimidate those who were resisting his move.

Miscreants set the liquor shop owner’s car on fire later that night. Police had arrested seven persons, including three women, in this connection.