Patna: Literally following the instructions of the chief minister Nitish Kumar, Ramkrishna Nagar police in Patna searched all bags, boxes, wardrobe clothes of the Bride to search for liquor on Sunday night.
However, not a drop of liquor was found.
Police team searched all rooms occupied by the bride's family and told them they were conducting searches on the orders of their superiors. Women cooperated with the police though no woman police was present during the searches.
Former Chief Minister Mrs Rabri Devi took string objection to the searches made in the bride's room without woman police. In a tweet, she alleged privacy of the bride was encroached upon in the pretext for searching liquor, but nothing was found. Police action distrubed the ceremony, she said,
Later, talking to the media, Chief Minister said, "The police might have gone after getting some information. I have asked the officials to get details about the searches. Police has the responsibility to enforce prohibition", he said and added they are doing their job.
Following row over the police raid on bride's room, Divisional commissioner of Patna Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, held a meeting of the district magistrates, SPs and sub-divisional magistrates to implement total prohibition and prevent import of liquor. He directed that innocents should not be harassed.
State Government today asked the parents of both grooms and brides to submit declarations at the local police stations, three days before marriages that liquor would not be served.
In the last two days, over 200 people have been arrested in Patna for violation of prohibition laws, Majority of them had come from outside the state to attend weddings of their friends. Police arrested hotel owners and managers where the alleged violators were staying.
A woman doctor who had come here from Pune was also arrested along with a local doctor in a hotel room where liquor was served.
Those arrested in last two days include engineers, doctors, professors, law students, railway guard and state government employees.
They have been sent to judicial custody for 15 days.
On Monday morning, Shastri Nagar police here destroyed an illicit liquor manufacturing unit at Maurya Path slums.ends
