Nearly 6L litres of liquor worth Rs 32 cr guzzled during festive week in Bhubaneswar
BHUBANESWAR: People in Bhubaneswar spent nearly Rs 32 crore on alcohol during the festive week from December 25 to December 31, according to sources in the Excise department.
Officials said the surge in sales was driven largely by Christmas celebrations on December 25 and New Year’s Eve (December 31) festivities. There was a significant rise in the consumption of foreign liquor, beer, and country liquor during the period.
During the week, residents of the capital city consumed nearly six lakh litres of alcohol, including 2.5 lakh litres of foreign liquor, 1.5 lakh litres of country liquor, and 1.78 lakh litres of beer. Officials attributed the increased consumption to festive celebrations, cold weather conditions, and heightened demand at clubs, pubs, and off-shops during the holiday season.
Meanwhile, the Excise department seized contraband worth Rs 1.43 crore on December 31 as part of a special enforcement drive. According to official data, 35 persons were arrested during the day-long operations, including three cases registered under the NDPS Act. Four vehicles were also seized in connection with the violations.
The seizures included 15,879 bulk litres of illicitly distilled liquor and 758 bulk litres of duty-paid liquor. Other recoveries comprised 1,40,050 bulk litres of fermented wash, 26,600 kg of gur wash, and 8 kg of bhang. Narcotics seized during the operations included 63 kg ganja.