960 cartons of liquor seized in UP's Ballia ahead of panchayat polls

The liquor was brought for distribution in the panchayat polls and was also to be smuggled into Bihar, where its sale is prohibited, the SP said.

Liquor worth around ₹40 lakh allegedly meant to be distributed ahead of the panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh and for smuggling into neighbouring Bihar has been seized from the city, police said on Thursday.

Last month, police had recovered 1,900 cartons of liquor worth over ₹1 crore, the SP said. (Reuters file photo)

"During a drive to check the illegal sale of alcohol, 960 cartons of liquor worth over ₹40 lakh were recovered from separate areas on Wednesday," Superintendent of Police Vipin Tada said.

The liquor was brought for distribution in the panchyat polls and was also to be smuggled into Bihar, where its sale is prohibited, the SP said.

He said police are running a special drive in which a ₹1,000-reward is given to a person if over 100 cartons of liquor are recovered on the basis of his/her tip-off.

Last month, police had recovered 1,900 cartons of liquor worth over ₹1 crore, the SP said.