TITLAGARH (BALANGIR): In a bid to woo womenfolk peeved over the drinking habits of their husbands and domestic violence, about 150 armed-Maoists swooped down on Jamki village under Turekela police limits late on Saturday and ransacked a country liquor brewery before setting it on fire.
It is said after reaching the village, the Maoists held a meeting which was attended by people of Pandaren, Guduramunda, Sanbanki, Badkendu and Arjun villages. The Maoists asked the gathering, mostly tribals and forest dependent community, about the pricing of non-timber forest produce (NTFP). They asked them to demand fair price and assured them support to the cause.
It is said the decision to set ablaze the country liquor unit was spontaneous after the womenfolk complained of their families getting ruined because of liquor. They said the income from NTFP was being spent by the menfolk on liquor causing hardship and also spoke about failure in the delivery mechanism of Government welfare schemes.
The Maoists reportedly asked the villagers to resolve to stop sale of country liquor. Later they asked the villagers to accompany them to the country liquor brewing unit.