COIMBATORE: The alleged illegal sale of liquor at houses in the surrounding villages of Karumathampatti has left locals worried. They have alleged that some villagers are selling liquour at their houses, charging higher prices and even allowing tipplers to consume alcohol at their house and often providing drinking water and other consumables, in order to avoid being caught by the police.
A video of such liquor sales is also doing the rounds on social media.
The illegal business is supposedly thriving as there are no liquor shops in a five kilometre radius.
In a video, an elderly woman who brought two liquor bottles offers one to a person and takes another into a room where few customers were waiting. The person who purchased the liquor starts to consume it in a corner of the house’s premises, diluting it with drinking water offered at the house. The video was recorded by a person posing as a customer at Valayapalayam village near Karumathampatti.
Local sources say there are no Tasmac or liquor outlets in the surroundings of Valayapalayam and people travel to Karumathampatti or Annur to buy liquor, which is about five to ten kilometres of travel. Making use of this, some enterprising locals are allegedly purchasing liquor in bulk and selling it out of their houses for a profit.
However, the risk of adulteration in such illegally-sold liquor remains a cause for concern.
While police have nearly curtailed illegal liquor sale at roadside restaurants and dhabas, sales at houses should also be curbed, said sources.
Police officials from Karumathampatti sub-division said they were not aware of the issue, and a senior official from the sub-division said they have initiated a detailed investigation into this issue.