BARIPADA: At Least nine police personnel were injured in a tussle with women anti-liquor activists in Mayurbhanj district on Monday. The incident took place at Daiee Sahi near Rasagobindpur police limits in the district, when the activists resorted to ransacking of a country liquor outlet.Holding lathis, the activists barged into the liquor outlet and destroyed bottles and pouches. Receiving information, police rushed to the spot and allegedly tried to rescue the outlet owner from being attacked by the women.
This further infuriated the women, who pelted stones at the police. In the melee, nine police officials were injured. They are Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Betnoti circle Dhiren Chandra Nanda, Rashgobindpur IIC Ranjan Kumar Sethi, an ASI and six constables. A woman also sustained injuries. All of them were admitted to Rasagobindpur Community Health Centre and their condition is stable now.
Later, the activists gheraoed the Rasagobindpur police station and staged protest against the cops accusing them of inaction in stopping sale of liquor in the area. They alleged that though they have been urging the police and local administrations to stop sale of liquor, their demand has fallen on deaf ears. The women further alleged that they had recently submitted a memorandum to the local BDO through Panchayat Samiti member Sanjukta Sahu and Khuntapal gram panchayat Sarpanch Parabati Hansdah demanding immediate shut down of the liquor shop in Daiee Sahi. "Consumption and sale of liquor have destroyed the social fabric in the village.
Men are no longer willing to work and the little money that they earn is spent on purchasing liquor. Crime rate in the area is also on the rise because of this," said Sarojini Kisku, an activist. She added that in nexus with liquor traders, neither the police or the BDO are taking any step in preventing sale of liquor.
IIC Sethi said action will be taken against the women activists who pelted stones at them and higher authorities of the police administration here have been informed about the incident.