Kukshi / Dhar (Madhya Pradesh): Kukshi sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Navjeevan Vijay Panwar (IAS) and Dahi naib tehsildar Rajesh Bhide were attacked while they were chasing a vehicle carrying illicit liquor.
The vehicle of the tehsildar was also vandalized on the spot after an attempt was also made to kidnap the tehsildar as well.
The incident was reported on Tuesday in the wee hours between Dhola Dholya and Aali village on Kukshi - Alirajpur road under Kukshi police station in Dhar district.
After getting the information, a police team led by Dhar SP Aditya Pratap Singh, excise department assistant commissioner Yashwant Dhanorey, SDOP Bilwal and station in-charge CB Singh reached the spot.
During the search, the police team arrested one Mukam Bhadu, an accomplice of key accused Sukhram, a resident of Alirajpur, while the search for others is going on. SP formed four teams to arrest the remaining accused involved in the crime.
The incident is being told between 4 and 5 am. The liquor truck that has been caught is being told of the passing of Alirajpur district, although the officer is still present on the spot.
Officials informed that when SDM Panwar and his team were chasing the vehicle, some of the accused present in another SUV started pelting stones at the SDM vehicle. They intercepted the vehicles and started manhandling SDM and other administrative officials. Officials got some injuries in the act.
According to the Excise Department, the vehicle is loaded with boxes of Goa, London whiskey and Bombay whiskey. At the same time, the truck had come from Barwani to Dhar, in the meantime, the whole incident happened. Right now the truck is being seized and the department will register the case after evaluating the cost of the total seized material.
According to SP Aditya Pratap Singh, an illegal liquor vehicle was being chased by the SDM, which was stopped near a dhaba when the Scorpio vehicle came. In which the main accused Sukhram Dabur and his people were present. They suddenly beat up and tried to get rid of the truck and made the Naib Tehsildar sit in his car, who was later rescued.
Dhar: Excise dept fails to contain illegal liquor business
Department sources claimed that district collector Dr Pankaj Jain had recently reprimanded the excise inspector during a video conference over the illegal liquor business flourishing in the district.
Nevertheless, even after that the department has failed to contain the illegal liquor business as well as its transportation. Locals claimed that the liquor mafia operates in the district under the patronage of local police and the excise department.
Sources claimed that no police force was present with the raiding party as officials feared that the involvement of local forces could compromise their raid.
Politics intensifies
Politics over the incident has already intensified in the district as Kukshi MLA and former cabinet minister Honey Baghel said that they will raise the issue of liquor mafia flourishing in the district in the state assembly on Wednesday.
Baghel said that key accused Sukhram is the nephew of former BJP MLA Mukam Singh Kirade and state secretary Jaideep Patel’s cousin and demanded stern action against him. He also demanded a probe against excise officers failing which he warned that Congress will launch a massive agitation.
On the other hand, district Congress president Balmukund Singh Gautam took a dig at chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan saying the government bulldozed properties of poor people over their involvement in criminal activities, but now it is time to take action against relatives of BJP leaders who are not only running an illegal business but have attacked administrative officials.
Probe team formed
Taking cognizance into the attack on SDM and other administrative officers, Dhar district magistrate Dr Pankaj Jain formed a three members investigation team in the matter. Team includes, Shringar Shrivastava, additional district magistrate, Deepashri Gupta, sub-divisional magistrate and Vinod Rathore, executive magistrate. Team will investigate the matter considering every prospect including distillery to transportation of liquor, storage, stocks, records and other excise norms.
