Bhayandar : Stung by the hooch tragedy in Malad Malvani which has so far claimed 97 lives, the Thane (rural) police have launched a massive crackdown to flush out illicit liquor trade from the region. Since Friday, police personnel from the Mira Road division in association with their Local Crime Branch counterparts have swooped down at multiple liquor vending outlets that had been operating in the twin-city. While a total of 20 cases have been registered so far at the Bhayandar, Navghar and Kashimira police stations as many people were arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Bombay Prohibition Act 1949. Hundreds of bottles and pouches of illicit liquor were also seized during the raids.
“Our crackdown against hooch trade had been initiated two months ago. Not only has the intercity patrolling been intensified, the level of vigilance has been heightened on the highway and also the entry points of the twin-city to check transit of hooch and its ingredients,” said a senior police officer. However, action seems to have been focused only on catching small-time bootleggers even as the big sharks who actually produce and supply hooch have gone scot-free.
Suresh Golani
