Following an appeal by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urging the masses n not to take law in their hands and force closure of liquor shops, Chief Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar warned that any one who vandalizes licensed liquor shops will be dealth with sternly.
On Thursday, angry mobs ransacked three liquor shops and torched them in Jaunpur and Ferozabad, elicting prompt reaction from law enforcing agencies who initiated legal action against the violent mob. Three dozen trouble makers, including 20 odd women, have so far been arrested.
In Jaunpur, a mob of about 50 persons, including women, attacked shops selling country made liquor, English wine and beer in Maqdumpurshah area of Kotwali police station on Thursday morning. On beingintimated about the strife, the police rushed to the scene and arrested 27 persons from the spot which included 20 women.
In another incident at Shahganj area of Jaunpur, about 20 men and women ransacked a liquor shop and managed to escape before the police arrived. The cops later registered a case and launched a manhunt to arrest the accused.
In Ferojabad too, a mob of 60 men and women attacked licensed shops selling country made liquor and foreign liquor on Station Road in Dakshin police station area. The cops later rushed there and nabbed nine accused which included four women.
Meanwhile, a data released by DGP office confirmed that so far 94 incidents of mobs vanadalising liquor shops or torching them were reported from the state in the last one week. The police after registering cases against 676 persons, half of them women, have arrested 112 persons so far.