While liquor, ganja, opium, paan gutkha and other contraband items have been banned during lockdown period by the Government, they are sold like hot cakes in Athagarh areas by the black marketers.
It is seen that the licenced shops are closed from front side, but these products are available at the backdoors of the same shops at higher prices. As the supply of the licence liquor have been banned during this period, duplicate and illicit liquors are being sold here, alleged sources.
The country liquor is cooked in the outskirts of Athagarh, Tigiria and Banki areas in the manner of running a cottage industry and sold in at least three times higher prices than before. Similarly ganja is sold by black marketers in most of the chowks and markets of Athagarh and Banki. This apart, gutkhas are sold in double or triple their usual prices in most of the betel shops which are locked from front side but opened in backside.
The black marketers in connivance with some unscrupulous Excise officials here are running the business even during the lockdown period and do not go for raiding any such counters. It is also alleged that local police also know the matter but remain silent for vested interest.
Local intelligentsia apprehend that hooch tragedy may occur at any time even during the lockdown period due to consumption of illicit alcohol in the area.