An FIR has been lodged against more than 30 women members of Self-Help Groups of Khariar NAC for ransacking a country liquor distillery located near Bijepur village of Khariar block on Friday last.
"We have acted according to law; we have lodged cases on the basis of the FIR filed by the distillery," said police sources. It was learnt that the women have been booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 395 (dacoity), 435 (mischief by fire to cause damage) and several other Sections of IPC.
The women SHG members had been demanding closure of the country liquor shops running in their localities in the Khariar NAC for a long time. Excise Department personnel had arrested some of the venders on the basis of complaints filed by women and forwarded the venders to court. The venders, however, resorted to their business again getting out of the jail on bail.
Being aggrieved, the women decided to ransack the distillery unit which is regularly supplying liquor to the shops.
"We never objected the agitation of the women against the illegal Khotis; rather, we were cooperating (with them), but ransacking the distillery unit which has a valid licence was against law," said the police.
Most SHG members are poor women tortured by drunkard male members of their families. Once the cases are forwarded to court, they would have to face more problems in legal fighting.