VIJAYAWADA: Due to huge difference in the prices of liquor in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, tipplers residing in border villages have started frequenting the neighbouring State to buy booze at a lower price. The border crossing is said to be more in Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari and Kurnool districts in the State.
As a measure to implement total prohibition in the State in a phased manner, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy increased the prices of liquor by 75 per cent after the resumption of liquor sale in the State. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had increased the prices of liquor by 16 per cent. But still there is a big difference in the prices of liquor in AP and Telangana.
“Having learnt about the border crossing of tipplers to buy liquor in Telangana, we have stepped up vigil at the checkposts to curb spread of coronavirus,” said Krishna district SP M Ravindranath Babu. Raids in villages in Krishna district bordering Telangana have also been intensified to curb bootlegging.
During the past five days, police arrested around 200 people and registered 145 cases against them. Around 3,000 liquor bottles worth more than Rs 10 lakh were seized so far. The SP said it is a tough task to curb illegal border crossing as villagers travel through fields and forest area as a shortcut and to avoid check posts and police. We have informed our Telangana counterparts about illegal border crossing and urged them to step up surveillance, the SP said.