Himachal Pradesh: Cracking down on illicit liquor manufacturing, the Mazra police team led by Paonta Sahib Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Aditi Singh successfully destroyed two illegal liquor distilleries in Haripur Khol forest area. Acting on a tip-off, the police raided the remote site and seized 380 litres of lahan (raw material used for making liquor) and two drums filled with illicit liquor. They also found two tubes filled with illicit liquor.
All the makeshift equipment being used for the production of illicit liquor was destroyed on the spot. The drive is part of a wider initiative launched by the Sirmaur police under the directions of the district police chief to curb the growing illicit liquor trade in the region. Paonta Sahib, a border area of Sirmaur, has become a hub of liquor smuggling due to the price disparity between Himachal Pradesh and the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, where liquor is cheaper. This price difference has fuelled smuggling activities, prompting the police to increase their vigilance on the issue. The SDPO said that the special drive against illicit liquor production will continue till the district is free from such activities. He said that those involved in this illegal trade will not be spared.
