Mumbai: In view of the upcoming Assembly elections, the Thane (rural) police has launched an intensive crackdown on bootleggers, tightening the screws on late night watering holes in the twin city.
In less than 48 hours, the police has raided dens serving country liquor housed in slum clusters located in the jurisdiction of Kashim-ira and Uttan coastal police station. Police raids have been carried out in the Dachkulpada, Ghodbunder village, Motha Gaon and Uttan naka areas.
While the den operators have been arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, illicit hooch and bottles of country liquor worth thousands of rupees have been seized by the police team.
Stepping up vigilance, senior officials have warned of stringent action against bar owners found to be operating beyond the stipulated deadline in their respective jurisdictions.
Because of these warnings, a majority of watering holes in the twin city have started serving the last drink well before the deadline as nobody wants their licence suspended.
The district poll machinery has deputed special vigilance squads comprising personnel attached to the Election Commission and police department to ensure that there is no violation of the model code of conduct for the Assembly polls.
