Mohali: Responding swiftly after the Sangrur hooch tragedy that resulted in 20 fatalities and considering the context of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the local excise department in Dera Bassi seized 1,020 liters of illicit liquor from Behra village on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, an excise team conducted a raid in the village and confiscated the illicit liquor along with a gas stove and several drums. Upon the arrival of the raiding party, the accused individuals fled the scene. It was reported that the accused were producing the illicit liquor on panchayat land, covering it with a tarpaulin. Unidentified individuals have been booked under the Excise Act by the Dera Bassi police. Assistant excise commissioner Ashok Chalhotra stated that since the enforcement of the code of conduct on March 16, a total of 54 liquor bottles have been seized, five FIRs filed, and eight persons arrested under the Excise Act.
Additionally, two FIRs have been lodged against hookah bars in Kharar and Mullanpur. Chalhotra emphasized the department’s vigilance along the porous borders of Chandigarh and Haryana to prevent the influx of illegal liquor into the district. Coordination with the district police has led to the identification of 26 interstate entry points, where joint checkpoints have been established to monitor entry. Mohali Police reported 87 FIRs registered between March 1, 2023, and March 20, 2024, resulting in the seizure of 13,932 bottles of liquor and 285 liters of illicit liquor.
