BERHAMPUR: Five
excise personnel were injured when they were attacked by residents of
Masanibadi village under Jarada police limits, about 40 km from here, on Saturday. The officials had come to the village to carry out a raid on manufacturers of illicit country liquor.
Besides being knocked about, the men were confined by the villagers before police rescued them and admitted them in the community health centre (CHC) in Patrapur. "After getting information, we reached the spot and rescued all the excise personnel," said IIC of Jarada police station, Bhabani Shankar Khuntia. He said no one was arrested.
Police said the excise team had not informed them that they would be conducting a raid on the tribal-dominated village. "We will inquire into the matter and take action against the culprits," he said.
Excise superintendent (Berhampur) Rajendra Bhotra said 25 personnel had gone to the village in three vehicles on a tip-off. Before they could start the raid, the villagers attacked them. Five officials sustained minor injuries, he said.
Excise personnel have launched raids on units engaged in the manufacture, transport and storage of spurious liquor after two persons died drinking country liquor in Karadamal village on December 28.
Over the past three days, the excise and police personnel held joint raids on different villages and seized around 275 litres of liquor. Eight people had been arrested, sources said.
