Four persons were arrested as several wine brewing facilities were busted during a massive crackdown on drugs and alcohol in the by-poll bound Manipur’s Thoubal district, police said on Wednesday.
Of the five Assembly constituencies in Manipur where by-elections will be held on November 7, Lilong assembly constituency and Wangjing-Tentha assembly – are in Thoubal district.
Since the announcement of the by-election schedules, police and other law enforcing agencies including state Excise department have been conducting intensified drive against drugs and alcohol across the district as a part of security measures for smooth conduct of the by-polls.
In its ongoing intensified drive, the district police conducted a massive crackdown at villages in Ukhongshang area of the district early Wednesday morning.
In the crackdown, the police busted several local wine brewing facilities and seized around 250 litres of Yoo (locally brewed wine), over 50 litres partly processed wine and large quantities of fermented rice with large numbers of utensils and other equipment used in brewing wine.
Four persons who allegedly operated the wine brewing facilities were also picked during the drive. The four arrested persons and seized wine and other recovered equipment have been handed over to the Excise office in the district, Thoubal SP Dr S Ibomcha said.
The SP said that today’s crackdown was conducted by a combined team of personnel of Thoubal police station and police commandos attached with the district police. He informed reporters that the crackdown which started early morning around 4 am lasted till around 8.30 am. The crackdown was a part of security measures to ensure no law and order problems occur ahead and during the upcoming by-elections to two Assembly constituencies in the district. “We will continue the drive in other places of the district in the coming days,” the SP informed and appealed to all sections of the society to cooperate with the police in maintaining the law and order in the district.
Enforcement team of Excise department in Thoubal district also seized locally brewed wine which will be valued around Rs 17,000 during its ongoing crackdown on drugs and alcohol in the district.
To mention here, Election Commission of India had issued the notification for the by-elections to the five assembly constituencies spread over three districts of the state was issued on Tuesday.
The constituencies where the by-election will be held on November 7 are Wangoi AC in Imphal West district, Lilong and Wangjing-Tentha AC in Thoubal district, Saitu (ST reserved) AC in Kangpokpi district and Singhat (ST reserved) AC in Churachandpur district.
With the issue of the notification, candidates can now file their nomination papers to the RO of the respective district. The last date of allowing filing of nomination papers is October 20.
The scrutiny of the nomination papers is scheduled at 11 am on the next day (October 21) at the respective district headquarters and sub-divisional headquarters of the constituencies.
The last date allowing withdrawal of candidature is till 3 pm of October 23.
The polling in the five Assembly constituencies will take place on November 7 between 7 am to 5 pm.
The counting of the votes will be on November 10 and the whole process of the by-election is scheduled to complete by November 12.
NNN
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