After their repeated pleas went unheard by the authorities concerned, women belonging to several Self Help Groups (SHGs) today ransacked a liquor shop and destroyed bottles in Odisha's Jajpur district.
A large number of women from the area, armed with lathis and broom sticks, reached the licensed IMFL (India made foreign liquor) shop at Jaraka bazar and asked the employees on duty to come out.
The irate mob then barged into the shop, pulled down liquor stock and destroyed the bottles by throwing them on the ground and emptying the shop, police said.
"Because of the existence of the liquor shop near the village, my husband consumes alcohol daily and beats me mercilessly at home. As he spends almost all of his income on liquor, my family starves due to want of money," said Ganga, an agitator.
"Hence, we will not allow a liquor shop to run here," she said.
Earlier, the women had submitted memorandum to the local Block Development Officer, district collector, district superintendent of police and the excise officials to stop the sale of liquor in their villages and its nearby areas, but to no avail, she said.
The women said they were forced to take law in their hands as the authority did not pay any heed despite repeated pleas.
The women had warned the authorities of dire consequences if they allowed liquor shops in the locality.
No FIR was filed with the local police in this connection till evening, police said.
