233 Liquor Boxes Seized, 3 Smugglers Arrested

Chandigarh  In a major crackdown just ahead of the ongoing Panchayat elections in Uttarakhand, the Special Task Force (STF) and the district police conducted a joint operation that led to the arrest of three liquor smugglers and the seizure of a massive consignment of English liquor. The operation unfolded in the Kulhal region on Saturday, exposing an illegal attempt to influence voters with alcohol.

According to officials, a total of 233 boxes of English liquor were confiscated in the raid. Out of these, 202 boxes were found being transported in a pickup truck, while 31 boxes were recovered from a warehouse located in Sahaspur. The owner of the warehouse has also been arrested for storing illegal stock and being complicit in the distribution plan. The arrested individuals hail from Haryana and Sahaspur and are believed to be part of a larger smuggling network.

Authorities have revealed that the liquor was being brought from Chandigarh and was intended to be distributed among voters in the Panchayat elections—a common and illegal tactic used to sway public opinion in rural and semi-urban regions. The seizure of such a large quantity of high-end alcohol raises serious concerns about the extent to which election practices are being corrupted at the grassroots level.

Police sources stated that the team was acting on a tip-off about liquor transportation from outside the state into Dehradun. Once the pickup truck was intercepted, further investigation led them to the Sahaspur warehouse, where additional stock was found neatly packed and stored. “The timing and scale of the operation indicate a clear attempt to use liquor as a means of electoral influence,” said a senior STF official.

The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Excise Act and are now under further investigation. Their connections and prior records are being examined to determine whether they were working as part of a larger syndicate or acting independently. Authorities believe that such illegal operations might be more widespread, and more raids are expected in the coming days as elections continue across various districts.

This incident also puts a spotlight on the need for stricter surveillance and coordination between states during the election period. Bringing in alcohol from another state, especially in such large quantities, requires not just careful planning but also suggests loopholes in inter-state border monitoring.

The police have assured that the seized liquor will be properly documented and destroyed as per legal procedure. Meanwhile, election authorities have been informed to take preventive action in sensitive areas to avoid any malpractice during the voting process.

As the state gears up for another phase of local body elections, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that law enforcement agencies face in ensuring free and fair elections in the face of such well-planned illegal activities.