A week-long protest against a proposed liquor shop in Sai Ram Colony at Semra Gate intensified on Sunday, as residents staged a symbolic funeral procession and burnt an effigy.
The protest entered its seventh day with demonstrators assembling at the very spot where the shop is to be opened. Locals, including women and children, have vowed not to leave until the plan is scrapped.
Jeetu Malotiya and Vishal Kuril, among the protestors, criticised the silence of the Excise Department. “We’ve been sitting here for days, but no one has shown up,” said Kuril.
Tensions rose on Sunday afternoon as women beat the effigy with slippers, chanting slogans against the department. Many accused authorities of ignoring the safety and sentiment of the neighbourhood.
Ashoka Garden Police arrived to defuse the situation but were met with firm resistance. Residents warned they would step up their protest if the shop isn't removed immediately.
Locals said they had flagged the issue in three public hearings without resolution. “If they won’t listen through the system, we’ll stay on the streets,” said a resident holding a placard.
The colony, home to hundreds of families, is worried about rising nuisance from drunken misbehaviour. “We don’t feel safe letting our daughters walk to school alone,” said a protestor.
Religious recitations, including daily readings of the Sundarkand, have accompanied the sit-in. Residents say the protest is peaceful but firm—and it won’t end without action.
