23,000 litres of ‘lahan’ seized in Lambi segment; 7 booked
Monday, 15/05/2017
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/23-000-litres-of-lahan-seized-in-lambi-segment-7-booked/407215.html
Muktsar : Nearly 100 police personnel today raided illegal distilleries at Kattianwali village in the Lambi Assembly segment, and seized 23,000 litres of “lahan” (material used in preparing hooch) and 200 bottles of illicit liquor.
Nearly two dozen drums were found buried in the ground.
“The accused managed to flee before the police reached the spot. The police have identified a few villagers and booked them,” said Jaswant Singh, DSP, Special Branch, Muktsar.
The accused — Dhanna Singh, Giani, Viru Singh, Baj Singh, Shammi, Pappi and Harry, all residents of Kattianwali village — have been booked under the Excise Act.
On the complaint of liquor contractors, the police conducted the raid about 6 am, sources said. It lasted for more than three hours. Teams of the CIA staff, narcotics cell, special cell and Kattianwali police raided the distilleries.
Liquor contractors said they were suffering huge losses on account bootlegging. “Every time, the accused manage to flee before the raid. It seems an insider passes on the information to them,” one of them said.
The raids were conducted in the village in the past as well and a large quantity of hooch and material were seized. The place is surrounded by wild growth, proving helpful for bootleggers.
Illicit liquor den
Kattianwali village in the Lambi Assembly segment has earned the tag of an “illicit liquor den”. A look at the past instances of seizures in the village
July 10, 2015: Around 100 tarpaulin sheets carrying material used in brewing hooch found buried
August 5, 2015: Nearly 35 tarpaulin sheets having the material used in preparing hooch seized; seven drums containing the material recovered
June 25, 2016: At least 10 drums of hooch recovered
October 6, 2016: In all, 43 drums of hooch and about 200 tarpaulin sheets destroyed by the raiding team
January 17, 2017: Around 25,400 litres of illicit liquor seized
