The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Huge quantities of liquor, money seized in polling areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 26, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Huge quantities of liquor, money seized in polling areas

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR, APRIL 25. All kinds of liquor was seized from Bapatla, Macherla, Rompicherla, Sattenapalli, Guntur and Pedakurapadu mandals -- 36 hours prior to polling -- which together put makes a lorry load. The total liquor sales in Guntur district till April 23 was Rs. 22 crores compared to the normal monthly sales of Rs. 13 crores.

At Rajupalem in the Pedakurapadu constituency ,liquor valued at about Rs. 3.5 lakhs was seized on two occasions on Sunday. The entire Palnadu region remained peaceful till Sunday night except for one murder that took place in Narsaraopet early in the morning, which the Superintendent of Police, Ravi Shankar Ayyannar, said was a resultant of old feud.

From two villages 85 bombs were recovered from factionists in the district of which at 45 were seized from Rompicherla and another 40 bombs at Vadlamudi village.

The police in a strategic manner used the surrendered naxalites to escort RTC and school buses in which the Election Commission shifted men and material to naxalite-infested villages in Dachepalli, Piduguralla and Machavaram mandals in the district. The surrendered extremists sat on top of the buses during the journey. From Macherla also, material and men were transported by RTC buses in the constituency.

Meanwhile, three helicopters were pressed into service to transport CRPF personnel from Macherla and one of them flew to Vinukonda on Sunday to transport election material and officials to inaccessible areas. The three choppers served the Markapuram (Prakasam), Yerragondipalem and Macherla areas.

The police and paramilitary forces have been put on alert to prevent any untoward incident arising out of faction feuds or from naxalite activity. In Kakinada, huge quantities of liquor meant for distribution on the eve of polling, has been seized at two places during last 24 hours. While 130 cases of liquor was seized by the Indrapalem police valued at Rs.1.50 lakhs near Ganganapalli of Kakinada rural mandal, another 14 cases worth over Rs. 25,000 were seized near Uppada Kothapalli village by revenue and police officials. The vehicles and the drivers were arrested and cases were booked against them. It is stated that the drivers had confessed that liquor was being taken for distribution in villages on the eve of polling.

The flow of money and liquor to lure the voters was in full swing in Anantapur district, particularly by the contestants of TDP and Congress parties, from Saturday night. It also continued through Sunday night. According to police sources, money and liquor have been seized at several places since Saturday night from the leaders of the two parties.

Money was seized in Tadipatri and Nallamada constituencies, while liquor was seized in Tadipatri, Anantapur, Hindupur and Kadiri constituencies. Congress followers reportedly chased a TDP leader of Nallamada constituency and O.D. Cheruvu ZPTC member, P. Obula Reddy, in two four-wheelers and caught him near Mittapalli village when he was allegedly taking Rs. 48,000 from the candidate, P. Raghunatha Reddy, to distribute it among the voters. The cash was handed over to the police. However, the police were learnt to have registered cases against Ramesh Reddy, Venugopal Reddy and 25 others for allegedly attacking Mr. Obul Reddy.

The two four-wheelers of the Congressmen were also seized. Similarly, Rs. 50,000 was seized from the Congress and TDP local leaders in Tadipatri. Several persons were also taken into custody there. Six cartons of liquor were also seized by Sunday evening.

Similar was the situation in Tirupati. In all, 3,881 `nips' (quarter bottles) of liquor packed in 81 cartons were seized at the Palamaner check-post on the Andhra-Karnataka border. Three persons including the owner and the driver of the vehicle which was trying to transport the nips to some `unknown destination' in Chittoor district were arrested in connection with the incident.

The Excise Inspector, Srinivasulu, quoting the arrested has said that the liquor procured at Mulbagal in Karnataka was on its way to a top TDP functionary of Chittoor district.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh