The hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi district has prompted the Perambalur district police to launch a mass awareness drive to sensitise the public to the hazards of consuming illicit liqour.
The awareness campaigns were conducted at the village level all over the district by police officers and men through the ‘Grama Kaaval’ initiative. The drive was conducted on the instruction of the Superintendent of Police, Perambalur C. Shyamala Devi as a sequel to the Kallakurichi tragedy, said police sources.
Split into multiple teams, police personnel visited villages under their respective jurisdiction and created awareness among the people about the dangers of consuming illicit arrack and how it could threaten their lives. As part of their awareness drive, the police personnel using public address system also appealed to the general public to inform them about those involved in illicit distillation besides those selling illicit arrack and narcotic substances in the district.
Deputy Superintendents of Police, Inspectors and Sub Inspectors carried out the awareness drives all over the district. Alongside conducting awareness campaigns, teams of police personnel conducted prohibition raids in the district on Wednesday and Thursday. Vehicle checks in the border areas have been intensified in the aftermath of the incident.
Police personnel under the ‘Grama Kaaval’ initiative were in touch with the panchayat presidents, village administrative officers and ‘Thalaiyaris’ appealing to them to provide information about illicit distillation, if any, taking place in their respective village and also about those involved in the illegal acts of selling, hoarding and distribution of illicit arrack. Police had also taken the list of prohibition offenders in the district.
Special meeting
In Pudukottai, Collector I. S. Mercy Ramya convened a meeting to discuss measures to prevent sale of illicit arrack and manufacture of fake liquor.
Ms. Ramya said continuous monitoring and preventive measures should be taken to prevent the sale of illicit liquor in Pudukottai district. The Collector asked the police personnel to carry out surprise checks in abandoned buildings and unused quarries in the district to find out if there was illegal sale of liquor and narcotic substances taking place at those places.
The Collector also asked the police personnel to find out if liquor and narcotic substances were being sold illegally near educational institutions. A dedicated WhatsApp number 85310-85350 has been notified through which information regarding illegal sale of liquor and narcotic substances could be conveyed, the Collector further said. Superintendent of Police, Pudukottai, Vandita Pandey and officials from various government departments participated, an official release said.
Published - June 20, 2024 07:27 pm IST
