KATHUA: Excise Department on Thursday destroyed 1850 Kg Lahan and arrested two persons in separate raids carried out on Thursday. In the process, 130 bottles of illicit liquor prepared from Lahan was also discovered.
According to reports, the Excise sleuths of Kathua Excise Range conducted series of raids in villages Keengdayal, Sitdyal, Khanwal, Banyari, Parsochak, Upper and Lower Saktachak, Chakdrabkhan and adjoining areas in district Kathua under the command of ETO Sandeep Gupta and destroyed 1,450 Kg Lahan and 120 bottles of illicit liquor prepared from Lahan besides destroying two working.
Meanwhile, another team under the command of ETO Eradication, Suresh Sharma raided Deoli, Makhanpur, Salehar, Shibuchak, Dableh, Kothey, Bulandae, Shiekhpura and adjoining areas of Bishnah and destroyed 400 Kg Lahan and 10 bottles of illicit liquor prepared from Lahan besides destroying two working stills.
Two persons namely Baldev Raj, son of Kalu Ram and Kunti Devi, wife of Dev Raj both residents of Kothey Bulandae were arrested under section 48 of the J&K Excise Act 1958.
Meanwhile Excise teams of Rajouri and Udhampur have also conducted similar raids in their jurisdiction. The Department has initiated multi-pronged strategy to arrest the menace of illicit distillation of liqour. Inspection teams have been activated and there shall be no laxity for those who violate the law.