PATNA: Twelve policemen, including five officers, were injured after villagers attacked them with iron rods and sticks during a raid on liquor smugglers at Madhupur Susta under the Maniyari police station area in Muzaffarpur late Monday night.
The raiding team consisted of policemen from Maniyari and Sadar police stations in the district. One team was led by Maniyari police station SHO Mihir Kumar while another was led by Sadar police station SHO Rajesh Kumar. The two SHOs also received head injuries.
Maniyari SHO Mihir said a sub-inspector (SI) Raju Kumar Mishra was seriously injured. Mishra posted at Sadar police station got his leg fractured. "Everyone except Mishra has been released from hospital after treatment," he said.
Mihir said the joint raid was conducting on receiving information about smuggling and storage of India-made foreign liquor (IMFL) in the village. The villagers attacked the police team during the raid near the community hall. Around 200 villagers surrounded the police team from all sides and attacked with iron rods and sticks.
"The villagers were instigated by a few liquor smugglers. We were outnumbered by the villagers," the SHO said.
He said an FIR was lodged with the Maniyari police station against 200 unknown villagers and 26 named accused, including liquor smuggler Kanhaiya Sah, who had earlier been to jail for his involvement in liquor smuggling.
