Police alertness was reduced to mockery on Thursday when two bootleggers scuffled violently on Kanwali Road in the State capital. In the scuffle, one of the bootleggers was seriously injured and was admitted in the Doon Hospital. locals expressed outrage over the incident and alleged that under the protection of police, liquors are being sold with impunity by bootleggers in the area.
Eyewitness said that, as the scuffle was on, one of the bootleggers - Anil, along with others, attacked Jaggi, who was also allegedly involved in the same trade, with an iron rod on at Kabariwala. However, another version emerged according to which the scuffle started when Jaggi had asked Anil not to sell liquor illegally in the area.
Jaggi was seriously injured in the incident. He was admitted in the Doon Hospital by his family members. Angered over the incident, the family members of Jaggi along with some locals torched a bike of Anil in front of the lakshman police post. Police swung into action, though by that time, the bike was almost charred.
Accompanied by police forces, SP City Ajay Singh reached the spot and managed to control the situation.The locals were found protesting against police’s apathy that results in rampant sale of liquor illegally in the area.
SP Ajay Singh said that that the injured is out of danger. Based on written reports received from the complainants from both the sides, FIR and counter- FIR have been lodged under appropriate sections of IPC in the Kotwali police station, he added.
However, lakshman police station in-charge and sub-inspector Rajesh Shah denied that such a scuffle involving two bootleggers had occurred near the police post. According to him, a minor scuffle occurred between two neighbours. One Anil attacked his neighbour Jaggi with an iron rod. The family members of the injured torched the bike of Anil, he added.
Meanwhile, the family members of Jaggi and some locals protested at Police Post and accused policemen of arresting two persons from his side, though they were not involved in the incident. The protesters later blocked the road and shouted anti-police slogans.
To maintain law and order, heavy police forces were deployed. As per the eyewitness, the locals had caught Anil and one of his relatives and handed them over to the police post officials. locals alleged that police had not acted and let them escape from the scene. According to locals, sale of illegal liquor is disturbing peace in the area with the drunken picking up quarrels with others on trifles.
As per the locals, illegal liquor is being sold under police protection in the area and no action is being taken by the police even after being informed.Significantly, the area where the scuffle occurred is a few metres away from the police post in Kanwali under Kotwali Police Station area.