Agitating women face criminal charges

BARIPADA:Criminal cases have been filed against 300 women of Rasagobindpur panchayat for pelting stones at cops and ransacking a liquor outlet in Daiee Sahi under Rasagobindpur police limits in the district. On Monday, nine police personnel were injured in a tussle with women anti-liquor activists.

Rasagobindpur Police on Wednesday lodged two cases against 300 women of villages under the block. While one was filed by Assistant Sub-Inspector of Betnoti police station Sreemati Mallik, who was injured in the incident, another was lodged by manager of the liquor outlet, Amulya Kumar Behera. Behera alleged that the women had also attacked and injured him in presence of police and public.
On Tuesday, Mayurbhanj SP Anirudha Kumar Singh went to the Rasagobindpur police station and inquired into the incident. On Monday, holding lathis, the women activists barged into the liquor outlet and destroyed bottles and pouches. Receiving information, police rushed to the spot and allegedly tried to rescue the outlet manager from being attacked. This further infuriated the women, who pelted stones at the police. In the melee, nine police officials were injured. They were SDPO of Betnoti circle Dhiren Chandra Nanda, Rashgobindpur IIC Ranjan Kumar Sethi, ASI Mallik and six constables.

Later, the activists gheraoed Rasagobindpur police station and staged protest against the cops, accusing them of inaction in stopping sale of liquor  in the area.The women alleged that they had recently submitted a memorandum to the local BDO demanding immediate shut down of the liquor shop in Daiee Sahi, but nothing was done.IIC Sethi said the liquor outlet is a licensed one and has been operating for several years now. “When the government has given it a licence, we are not authorised to close it down,” he said, adding that the accused women would be arrested soon.