People’s search for anti-social elements helped unearth illegal liquor sales racket

Following this, the local residents decided to constitute a committee and carry out frequent checks in the area.
For representational purposes. (File Photo)
For representational purposes. (File Photo)

KOCHI: Hidayath Nagar near Kalamassery town — where an illegal liquor sales racket was unearthed on Saturday — is notorious for anti-social activities, local residents said. People in the area had joined hands with the police to search for youths who were smuggling drugs but ended up unearthing liquor sales using migrant workers. The police arrested three persons — Pyarilal, 49, of Pallilamkara in Kalamassery, and his aides Suryaprabhan and Ramesh Maji, both hailing from West Bengal — in connection with the incident. Pyarilal was involved in the liquor sales using the migrant workers. Recently, the Kalamassery police had arrested two youths from the area and recovered drugs from them. Following this, the local residents decided to constitute a committee and carry out frequent checks in the area.

“For the past few years, Hidayath Nagar has been notorious for the supply of drugs and liquor,” said Gireesh Babu, a social activist. He said most of these illegal activities are concentrated in rented houses, with even structures unsuitable for living rented out at huge rates. 

“Such activities are carried out in connivance with the house owners without even a lease agreement,” Gireesh added. There are widespread complaints that shops near educational institutions continue to sell tobacco products despite a ban on such practices, he pointed out. On Saturday, the local residents damaged a small shop on HMT Road where liquor and banned tobacco products were sold by Pyarilal, the first accused in the illegal liquor sale case.  Pyarilal had been selling liquor illegally for the past two years, and supplying liquor at high prices when bars were closed, said a local resident. 

Pyarilal had bought liquor bottles from Bevco outlets for selling them to migrant workers and had set up a mobile bar in an autorickshaw. The police said local residents complained that Pyarilal was providing a facility to drink alcohol in the autorickshaw while on the move. Liquor bottles were stocked at the migrant workers’ accommodation nearby.  The accused were produced before the court which remanded them to judicial custody, the police said.

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