Three liquors shops were burgled in two days in the city and bottles worth thousands of rupees were stolen, the police said. They suspect that habitual offenders were targeting these stores as liquor is in great demand during lockdown.
In Magadi Road police station limits, burglars broke open the storeroom of Manjunath Bar and Restaurant, which was sealed by the Excise Department during lockdown. The accused gained entry by breaking open the back door and made away with 264 bottles.
In a similar incident, Century Bar and Restaurant was burgled and liquor bottles worth ₹16 lakh stolen. Based on a complaint filed by Govindaraja, owner of the restaurant, the Rajgopal Nagar police are investigating.
In another incident, a wine shop at Munireddy Layout in Rammurthy Nagar was burgled and liquor worth ₹40,000 stolen. The police suspect that someone aware of the demography of the establishment committed the crime.
However, speaking in Athani, Minister for Water Resources Ramesh Jarkiholi said on Sunday: “Drunkards are not looting liquor shops. It is the shop owners who are organising the thefts in their own shops, getting the materials out and selling them for higher profits.” He alleged that these are times of scarcity and great demand. “Liquor traders are making heavy profits by selling them through illegal means,” he added.