Public step into police's shoes in Tamil Nadu's Tirupathur, seize illicit arrack
TIRUPATHUR: Fed up with perceived police inaction, a group of 30 locals from Kamarajar Nagar in Vaniyambadi on Monday confronted a gang allegedly selling illicit arrack in a godown in the area and confiscated their stock.
The locals alleged they had alerted the police but they did not show up. However, the residents charged that the police did not respond to their calls. When the police arrived at the spot, a heated argument broke out between the cops and the members of public.
"Despite our repeated complaints, the police failed to take any concrete steps to stop the sale of illicit arrack. We complained to the Superintendent of Police, the CM's cell and tried all other measures," a resident said on condition of anonymity. “It looks like the police are hand in glove with the drug peddlers,” the resident alleged.
Earlier, on March 7, members of the public had staged a roadblock along with seized arrack, demanding police action. A minor clash had broke out between the public and the police on that day too. Responding to the allegations, police said so far 12 members of the gang selling illicit arrack have been arrested and five of them have been booked under the Goondas Act.
Police have totally seized 50 bags of arrack, and each of them contain 50 packs of arrack, locally known as pocket sarayam. However, the locals demand the arrest of the prime suspect, Maheswari.
"Maheswari and her accomplices have fled and police are tracking them down. We have formed three special teams and hunting for the accused. We’re hoping to secure them in two to three days," Vaniyambadi DSP B Suresh Pandiyan told The New Indian Express.