THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The day and night stir launched by local people against the move to open a liquor shop at Murikkumpuzha in the district entered the tenth day on Tuesday.
Protesters, including women and children, were camping near the outlet round-the-clock to prevent the state-run Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) from opening the outlet. Last week, a protester had doused himself with kerosene and threatened self-immolation demanding the government to cancel the move.
The Bevco was forced to shift the shop from its original location at Thonnackal following the Supreme Court order banning liquor shops within 500 metres of the national and state highways.
According to the local residents, the proposed shop was located in the immediate vicinity of at least three places of worship, an Anganwadi, Murikkumpuzha railway station and a village office. On Tuesday, Gandhian P Gopinathan Nair and former KPCC chief V M Sudheeran visited the protesters and offered support to their stir.
“The SC had ordered states to shut the shops on the highways, not relocate them,” said Sudheeran. The Bevco shop ‘would burn’ in the anger of the women protesters, said Gopinathan Nair.
Action council leaders M A Latheef, Ahmedali, Suma and Vasanthakumari were present.