About 2,000 people led by Odisha Mahila Mahasangha State president Er Debashisha Hota organised a rally at Saruali gram panchayat under Dhenkanal district’s Kamakhyanagar Assembly Constituency demanding immediate stopping of illegal liquor selling at betel shops, hotels and private houses.
The rally started from Khokasa village at 9am and covered 11 km through Bampu, Mota and Saruali villages.
The rally was coordinated by Mahasangha secretary Dillip Samal, Krushak Sangharsha Samiti and Odisha Bhumihina Praja Samiti district secretary Kalandi Charan Behera, Ranjan lenka, Nilamani Kabi, Satya Prakash Jena, Babu Majhi, Sushama Samal, Kholana Mahalik and Butu Rout.
Er Hota addressed the rally in front of four illegal liquor shops on the way. He said more than a thousand Illegal liquor shops are now operating in under Kamakhyanagar, Jiral and Bhuban areas.
Though people have lodged complaints before the Excise officers many times, yet no action has been taken. Now women are feeling unsafe in their own homes due to callous attitude of the administration, he alleged.
He threatened that more than 10 thousand women, youth and men would be forced to gherao the offices of the Sub Divisional Excise Officer and SDPO for indefinite days if the shops are not closed soon.
Hota alleged that local MlA is encouraging mafias to open liquor shops in the locality.