Kerala govt to intensify surveillance on sale of illegal liquor

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 22 (PTI) Kerala Excise Minister M B Rajesh on Saturday directed officials to intensify surveillance and raids across the state to check the availability and flow of spurious liquor in the wake of hooch tragedy in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

The minister directed officials of his department to ensure intensive surveillance and inspection at all checkposts and border areas in the southern state.

Additional personnel have been posted at the necessary checkposts and all vehicles entering the state from outside would be monitored and suspicious ones would be checked, Rajesh said in a statement.

Excise Commissioner convened an emergency meeting of the excise personnel and took stock of the situation as per the directive of the Excise Minister.

Special teams would monitor districts like Malappuram and Kollam where spurious liquor tragedies have been reported in the past.

Noting that the Excise department would coordinate with various other departments including police, forest, motor vehicle and so on in border areas, Minister Rajesh also requested the cooperation of the public in the enforcement activities.

The death toll in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu touched 53 on Saturday. PTI LGK ROH