PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Almora
With the tree-tier Panchayat elections drawing near, police keep on with their drives to stop smuggling of drugs and illegal liquor. In this sequence, a big case has come to light in Someshwar police station area of Almora district where illegal English liquor worth lakhs of rupees was recovered from a vehicle which had caught fire. On receiving information that a vehicle had been found ablaze on Patharia-Majkhali road, the station house officer, Kashmir Singh reached the spot with his team. Fire tenders also rushed in from Ranikhet to douse the flame. After the blaze was put out, as police searched it, a large number of foreign liquor crates were found inside it. Many crates were burnt in the fire, but the remaining ones, including full, half and quarter bottles, were seized. Initial investigation revealed that the consignment of liquor was being transported illegally for distribution before the elections.
The SHO informed that a case has been registered under section 60/72 of the Excise Act. “The driver and other accused involved in the smuggling are absconding and we are looking for them,” he added.
