8 held in crackdown on illegal liquor racket on C’garh border

Jharsuguda: Officers of Rengali police station ran a large-scale special operation and arrested eight people allegedly involved in liquor manufacturing and smuggling activities along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, police said on Tuesday.The accused were identified as Kunja Behera (28), Prafulla Behera (24), Kartika Behera (60), Akshya Behera (23), Bharat Behera (47), Sanjay Behera (45), Rupram Behera (57) and Bhumisuta Behera (45), all residents of Baddhara village under Rengali police limits.Acting on tip-off about large-scale illegal country liquor manufacturing near Hirakud backwaters and adjoining interstate border areas, police launched a coordinated pre-dawn raid at Khajuriapada under Baddhara village in Badimal gram panchayat.The operation was carried out under the direct supervision of Jharsuguda SP G R Raghavendra and involved senior officers, including additional SPs, DSP IUCAW, IIC Lakhanpur police station, IIC Rengali police station and other personnel along with three platoons of force, including women police personnel. The raid was conducted in the presence of the executive magistrate-cum-additional tehsildar of Lakhanpur.Police teams simultaneously carried out house searches and combing operations in interior areas adjoining the Hirakud reservoir to prevent suspects from escaping through difficult terrain and water routes.During the operation, police unearthed multiple illegal distillation units allegedly engaged in manufacturing illicit country liquor using fermented mahua. Around 17 illegal brewing ‘chulhas’ were demolished and destroyed at the spot.Police seized around 870 litres of illicit country liquor, over 30 quintals of mahua pocha and destroyed more than 20 quintals of fermented mahua. A four-wheeler, four two-wheelers, utensils, furnaces and other incriminating materials were also seized.“We have carried out a major coordinated crackdown against illegal liquor manufacturing units operating in remote border areas. Jharsuguda police will continue strict enforcement against organised illegal liquor networks and interstate smuggling activities,” SP Raghavendra said.Police said further investigation was underway to identify financiers, transporters and other people linked to the interstate liquor racket.