Man held for distributing liquor to tipplers in Telangana

Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, a 30-year-old Telangana man's eagerness to get more 'likes' for his video on social media landed him in trouble after a clip purportedly showing him distributing liquor to some people went viral, following which he was arrested.

The Excise Department booked the man for illegal possession and consumption of liquor on a 'Dry Day' and under relevant sections of the Telangana Excise and Prohibition Act.

Later, the man and another person who had assisted him in the act were arrested, a senior official said told PTI on Monday.

Liquor shops and bars across Telangana have been closed in view of the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

According to the official, the man recorded the video distributing alcohol to people, including some women, near a toddy shop at Champapet here on Sunday and uploaded it on a video-sharing app.

In the clip, he is seen pouring liquor in some glasses being held by another person, the official said, adding the man was "inspired by a similar act the video of which had gone viral in Punjab recently".

"This is sheer eagerness to get more likes for his video. Based on instructions from our higher ups, we lodged a case against the two and arrested them around Sunday midnight," the official said.