UMERKOTE : Over 3,000 women led by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders on Friday staged a massive protest against the proposed reopening of a closed country liquor outlet at Boripadar village under Dabugam block in Nabarangpur district.
The agitating women allegedly ransacked the closed liquor outlet, brought out plastic drums and other materials before setting those on fire.
The women first took out a march from Bhairab temple in Dabugam and proceeded to the block office where their representatives and BJD leaders submitted separate memorandums to BDO Samir Patra, tehsildar Geeta Murmu and Dabugam IIC Lachhmi Paraja, demanding that no liquor outlet be allowed to operate at Boripadar.
Carrying sticks and raising anti-liquor slogans, the agitators later took out a massive rally through Jayantinagar and Dangariguda before reaching the closed country liquor outlet at Boripadar. The protesters broke open its doors, removed plastic drums and other items kept inside and set those ablaze.
Though police personnel were present at the spot to maintain law and order, they were reportedly unable to prevent the mob from setting the materials on fire. Later, fire services personnel from Dabugam rushed to the spot and controlled the blaze after facing resistance from the agitating women.
Sources said the Boripadar country liquor outlet had remained closed for the past few months, and its premises were lying unused. However, the Excise department has reportedly initiated the process of renewing the licence and inviting tenders for the outlet.
The authorities are reportedly planning to issue the licence on November 12, triggering strong opposition from local residents and the BJD.
The protesters maintained that reopening the liquor outlet would adversely affect families and social life in the area. They demanded that the administration should withdraw the proposal.
Dabugam MLA Manohar Randhari, Nabarangpur zilla parishad chairman Motiram Nayak, former MP Ramesh Majhi, former Nabarangpur MLA Sadasiva Pradhani and BJD’s Dabugam block president Surendra Kumar Mishra participated in the protest.
