Chhattisgarh: Villagers protest relocation of liquor shop in vicinity

The residents of a village in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh staged a protest for the removal of alcohol shops which were relocated in the vicinity following a ban on liquor shops within 500m of the highways.

These alcohol shops are allegedly creating obstructions not only for the government employees deployed in the region but also for the local farmers.

Each day dozens of people in the inebriated state dump their empty bottles in the farms located near the shops.

Notably, there is also a steady increase in the cases of sexual harassment by men residing in the area.

Narrating her ordeal, one of the victims said that because of the opening of these shops, women have fallen prey to sexual harassment and oral abuse. The victim also criticised the government for not taking any stringent action in the connection even after receiving scores of complaints.

"Many farmers in Bijapur have given up farming due to the ongoing problems. Many of them are working as daily wage laborers," the victim added.

Notably, these shops were shifted to Bijapur after the sale of liquor got banned along national highways in India, following an apex court order.