Belt shops thrive in Ranga Reddy district

Ranga Reddy: As there are many liquor shops being operated across the district, the liquor mafia has started to operate belt shops across the district on a large scale.

Belt shops across the district have again sprung up to capitalise the raising demand and such shop owners are possessing liquor bottles for higher prices in villages.

It is known that in spite of knowing about these incidents the excise officers are being negligent and not taking any proper action on the operational belt shops in villages. On questioning excise officers about lack of action taken, the officers replied saying that they never noticed any belt shops.

Villagers across the district have taken oath in Palle Pragathi meetings to destroy the belt shops in their villages and have done the same with a few shops.

A few pan shops and kirana stores have also been found selling liquor at higher prices.

There are many belt shop instances across the district in the villages of Shadnagar, Shabad, Farooqnagar, Chevella, Kondurg mandal.

On one hand the villagers have destroyed belt shops in Vityala village of Farooqnagar Mandal, but at the same time on the other hand the belt shops in Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, Shabad and Chevella have been operating without any fear.

Speaking to The Hans India, Shamshabad zone Excise Superintendent D Janardhan Reddy said that they have never noticed any belt shops being operated in the villages across the district and further informed that liquor is being sold in only 81 wine shops of Serilingampally, Chevella, Shadnagar and Rajendranagar constituencies.