Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 9: In order to curb the menace of illicit distillation of liquor, illegal smuggling of liquor from other States, the J&K Excise Department has intensified raids/ checking of various locations/premises to check the offences/ crimes being committed.
Under the active supervision of Excise Commissioner, T. Angchuk and Deputy Excise Commissioner (Executive), Jammu Shahid Saleem raids have been conducted in district Jammu, Rajouri and Kathua to arrest the menace of illicit distillation.
Raids were conducted in upper Saktachak, Keengdayal, Dhabwaland adjoining areas of Kathua district and in the process more than seven hundred kilograms of Lahan and thirty bottles of illicit liquor have been recovered and destroyed.
The Excise sleuths under the command of ETO, Kathua Sandeep Gupta and ETO, Eradication, Jammu Suresh Sharma carried the raids. In Rajouri district the Excise Team under the command of ETO, Sheraz conducted extensive raids in Sasalkote, Mohra, Sagote, Shapur, Sawni, Dhanma and other adjoining areas. In the process three persons were arrested under Section 48 of the J&K Excise Act, 1958. The arrested are identified as Rajesh Kumar S/o Behari Lal of Kellar, Sanvi Devi W/o Kamal Sharma of Sagote and Kanta Devi W/o Jeet Lal of Shahpur. The Rajouri excise team recovered three hundred & fifty kgs of lahan and seventy bottles of illicit liqour which was destroyed on spot.
In Jammu district raids were conducted by Excise sleuths under the command of ETO, South Range Jammu Nayeem and ETO Eradication, Jammu Suresh in Bishnah and R.S.Pura areas and in the process two persons were arrested under Section 48 of the J&K Excise Act, 1958.
The arrested are identified as Beena Devi W/o Late Bachan Lal R/o Kariel Manhasa and Geeta W/o Subhash alias Bittu R/o Shiekhpura, Bishnah. The raiding teams also destroyed naturally growing bhang on State and private land in an area of five and three kanals in Kathua and Jammu districts respectively. It is for the first time that in Jammu division the Excise department has started the process of destruction of wildly growing Bhang.