Attack on SHO shows liquor mafia spreading tentacles in Gurugram
Gurugram: It was not expected but it happened when a bootlegger smashed one of the liquor bottles on the head of the SHO and injured three other police officials of Phase-3 police station. The main accused who attacked the law enforcement officials since then has not been caught by the police. The incident again highlighted how illegal liquor mafia is gaining a stronghold in Gurugram. From the beginning of the year, police officials have been going extremely tough on the liquor mafia in which more than 50 raids have been conducted. According to law enforcement officials, most of the gangsters have moved from drugs and real estate business to illegal liquor.
According to law enforcement officials not only is the liquor business more profitable in the recent past but it is also far less risky compared to the other businesses. Among various sectors where Gurugram contributes greatly to Government exchequer is sale e of liquor and hard beverages. The business extends beyond the sales that are happening in the glitzy pubs and bars and also occur at the roadside liquor vending units.
Recent prohibitions protests and increase in license charges are resulting, however, has prevented the opening of these units despite having a large demand. The urge hard liquor that is readily available and also reasonable is resulting in the opening of various wine shops that are not being registered by the excise department. In this month alone there have been four illegal shops that have been unearthed resulting in the seizure of more than 1000 crates of liquor.
According to police officials, there is a sizeable number of liquor vending units that have not been approved by the public authorities functioning in the city. Constant raids are being carried out by the law enforcement officials to close these units. "It is important that most of the liquor vending units that are set up in the sector is registered with us as it will ensure the safety of the citizens and will also make sure that they are not selling spurious liquor," said a senior official from the excise department.
In the past, there have been complaints against liquor vending units of selling spurious liquor, not paying rents and allowances to the public authorities, setting up shop in the residential area and also in the state and national highways. Irrespective of a strict stance taken by the law enforcement, liquor business continues to grow in Gurugram. This growth is witnessed even after there was a decrease in fee licenses of around 2% for the new tenants. For long, Gurugram followed by Faridabad has been leading among 22 districts in terms of setting up new vendor units for selling alcoholic beverages.
