In a major breakthrough, police on Sunday seized over 400 litres of country-made illicit liquor from a vehicle near Mercy Hospital at Baridih under Sidhgora police station area.
The liquor which was kept in six jars and was loaded in a van. Seeing a police party, the driver of the van and another person fled the scene.
Officer-in-charge, Sidhgora police station, RD Singh said that the consignment of illicit country-made liquor was being carried from Birsanagar.
"The van was coming towards the steel city. The movement of the van was under suspicion. As the patrolling vehicle accelerated its speed to catch the van, the van stopped near Mercy Hospital. And by the time the cops reached to the van, the driver had fled," said Singh.
The officer-in-charge, said that the patrolling party had seen two persons in the front row, beside the driver in the van having registration No JH05-S-4098.
" We are investigating the liquor and those involved in the trade. We have seized the vehicle and will find out the owner of the vehicle through the registration number for taking necessary action against the driver and also the vehicle owner," said the police officer.
Deputy superintendent of police (headquarters-I), KN Mishra who looks after Sidhgora police station said that they would register a case against unknown on the basis of the seized liquor and the van.
"We have decided to get it chemically examined by sending the samples of the confiscated hooch in a lab of the Excise by the time we will get the whereabouts of the owner of the van from the district transport office," said the DSP, adding that they would stop the act of carrying of illicit liquor from Birsanagar.
“Illicit liquor is a hugely profitable industry where bootleggers pay no taxes and sell enormous quantities of their product. There is a need to restrict extensive abuse of the intoxicant in order to reduce untoward incidents in the society. Moreover, most of the hotels are not adhering to the rules while serving foreign liquor in lavish parties. Continuous raids must be carried against illegal distilleries especially in view of the forthcoming festive season later this year,” noted a local resident.