LOUIS RODRIGUES
BELAGAVI
The lockdown and stringent security measures at the border check posts in Goa and Karnataka seem to have done little to stop huge quantities of Goa liquor being transported to Belagavi.
In a major raid, large quantities of liquor from Goa were seized by Udaymbag police on the Belagavi Goa road in Belagavi City, leaving authorities wondering how these liquor stocks were sold and moved in Goa and allowed to cross the borders of both states without any check.
According to Udyambag police, a vegetable tempo returning from Goa after supplying vegetables was found carrying large quantities of liquor concealed under the vegetable trays, when the tempo was intercepted during a routine check on the Belagavi-Goa road near the 3rd Railway Gate.
Boxes carrying different brands of Goa made liquor and beer, all worth Rs 3.7 lakh, were being illegally transported in the Karnataka-registered tempo.
While the tempo has been seized, two persons, Manjunath Suresh Patil (Fort Road) and Subhash Sudhirde (Mahadwar Road) have been arrested in this connection.
CPI Dayanand Shegunshi and team fromthe Udyambag police station seized the liquor, detained the vehicles and arrested the two persons
under the guidance of Khade Bazaar ACP Ajjol Chandrappa.
ACP Chandrappa said security checks along the route would be intensified in view of the seizure of liquor from Goa.
When contacted, Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi denied suggestions of security lapses at the border check posts and told The Goan that bootleggers have been finding different routes while police teams are busy implementing the lockdown.
“Already, joint security checks are there at both check posts where both Goa and Karnataka police are doing the job together. There can’t be any lapse at both check posts. We will try and ascertain the route taken by the accused in this case as there is a possibility of liquor moving from Goa to Belagavi via some other routes,” he said.
While authorities are baffled over the movement of liquor from Goa to Belagavi despite stringent instructions, questions are also being raised as to how the liquor is available in Goa despite a strict ban on liquor sales in the coastal state.
Earlier this month, liquor which was concealed in milk vans was seized at Anmod and Chorla check posts and now, vegetable vehicles have been found illegally transporting Goa liquor.
The incident has exposed an illicit liquor trade between Belagavi and Goa, as Goa liquor is prized and sold at much higher rates in Belagavi
