Anantapur: Illicit arrack back in business

Anantapur: While the district administration and the police are busy in implementing lockdown restrictions, some miscreants are brewing the banned arrack in the district with the support of few officials in Excise department.

With liquor shops shut down due to lockdown, some are taking advantage of it and selling arrack at whopping prices in rural areas. For instance, one bottle of arrack is sold at Rs 1,000. Illegal arrack is being brewed in Puttaparthi, Nallamada, Bukkapatnam, Chennekothapalle, Gooty, Peddavaduguru and Rayadurgam. Some corrupt officials in Excise department are turning a blind eye to illegal brewing by pocketing bribes.

Recently, police caught an Excise official red-handed while consuming liquor at his home with his driver in Gooty. Later, they destroyed large pots of illicit arrack and nabbed the accused at another place