Police turn to women’s groups for help in curbing sale of hooch

The city police will now seek help from women’s groups to tackle the sale of spurious country liquor. This decision was made at a high-level meeting on Monday, where all zonal deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) in the city were instructed to form women’s group to crack down on illicit country liquor. Police sources said committees by the name of Mahila Dakshta Samiti will be formed in every police station across the city.

The city police will now seek help from women’s groups to tackle the sale of spurious country liquor. This decision was made at a high-level meeting on Monday, where all zonal deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) in the city were instructed to form women’s group to crack down on illicit country liquor. Police sources said committees by the name of Mahila Dakshta Samiti will be formed in every police station across the city.

Joint commissioner of police (law and order) Deven Bharti said, “Instructions have been issued to all DCPs to form women’s committees to crack down on illegal liquor dens in the city.”

The meeting was conveyed after over a 100 people died after consuming spurious country liquor in Malwani. Sources said the strategy has been planned as it has been seen that in most cases women bear the consequences of men drinking cheap country liquor.

“Women’s groups will be encouraged to come forward and give information so that police can crack down on these dens,” said a senior police
officer, requesting anonymity. Once they receive the tip-offs about new liquor dens and other such activities from these groups, the police will take immediate action, the source added.

The Mumbai police have printed posters appealing to people to join in their fight against illegal country liquor. These posters will be put up in slums across the city.

Sources said many parts of the city like Dharavi, Malwani, Sion Koliwada and Malwani have large number of country liquor dens. Many have already been busted by city police in the past few days.

“Apart from the areas which produce country liquor, it is also smuggled from places like Vasai and Madh island areas,” the source added.
The city police stations have already began crackdown on various liquor mafia in the city and also those who smuggle country liquor illegally in the city.

While the crime branch would be limiting its investigations only to those linked with the Malwani hooch tragedy, the various police stations have been asked by officials to close down illegal liquor dens in the city.