Angry residents demolish liquor shop, destroy stock

BATHINDA: Once again, in their protest against the liquor shops located near religious places and residential areas, hundreds of residents of Bathinda town on Tuesday demolished a vend and destroyed the liquor stock lying inside.
Residents had been opposing the opening of liquor vend for the last two months as the shop was situated in a residential and was also close to historical Gurdwara Hazi Rattan in the town.There is also a mosque, adjacent to the gurdwara.
"People have been protesting for the last two months and on Monday, they started a dharna, demanding the district administration to take action for removal of the shop, but no action was taken, hence the ultimate action of demolishing the shop," said Nagina Begum, president, Human Rights Organization, who is leading the protest against liquor shop.
Excise department had allotted 58 additional new liquor vends across the district for the financial year 2011-2012 and from the very first day, these shops were facing strong opposition from residents of the locality where these were opened. Bathinda district had 380 liqour vends during the last financial year and excise department increased this number to 438 during the current fiscal. Most of the new liquor shops have been opened in villages or in urban residential areas. About 20 of these vends have opened in Bathinda city alone.
Residents of Hazi Ratan colony attacked the newly opened liquor vend opposite the historical Gurudwara Hazi Rattan on Tuesday afternoon. They also destroyed wine and beer bottles displayed at the vend. Nagina Begam said the liquor shop was not only hurting the religious sentiments of people but made life tough for the residents, particularly women and children. ``We had warned the administration to remove the vend, but no heed was paid, so the ultimate action,’’ she said. Station house officer , Civil Lines, Bathinda, Varinder Singh, said police have not received any complaint about the incident so far.