Thiruvananthapuram: Woman held for illegal sale of liquor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A woman who stocked small bottles of liquor in her chicken coop and then did brisk business on dry days when beverages shops would be closed has been arrested by Valiyathura police.
The police identified the accused as Laila popularly known among her clientele as Velutha Laila, 52, a resident of Vettucaud.
The police seized 3.75 litres of Indian made foreign liquor and money she got from the sale of liquor.
She was charged with relevant sections under Abkari Act and was remanded into judicial custody on Sunday.
Laila, who has around eight cases registered against her for the illegal sale of liquor, had earlier been arrested for sale of ganja and tobacco products like pan masala.
The police said that her customers would come from all parts of the district.
She would buy liquor from beverage shops in bulk quantities and hide them in a chicken coop on the premise of her daughter's house which has been given on rent.
The bottles were concealed in plastic covers inside the coop made of wood. The police had a tough time finding the place where the bottles were hidden.
The police said that Laila had a special way of hiding liquor and other illegal stuff like burying it on the compound of her own house or sometimes her neighbour's compound without their knowledge. The closely located houses often provided her the perfect cover for business.
She was held on Saturday following a tip-off received by Valiyathura SHO A K Sheri. With her house being inaccessible by vehicle, the police team branched off in various directions and closed all the four paths leading to her house to prevent her escaping.
The police later seized small bottles of liquor from the chicken coop. The police officials said that she also sold liquor through a small shop she ran in front of her house.