Golaghat: 2,500 tins of molasses stored for making illicit liquor destroyed

A joint team of Excise and Food Safety personnel raided a godown and destroyed molasses (lali gur) at Ramnagar, Merapani area in Golaghat along the Assam-Nagaland inter-state border on Tuesday.

The Excise team was led by Deputy Superintendent of Excise, Golaghat (Sadar), Ashutosh Baruah and Food Safety Officer, Beni Borgohain.

2500 tins of molasses that are not fit for human consumption were seized by personnel of both departments assisted by local police from the godown of one Prodip Gupta. "The molasses or lali gur stored in hundreds of tins not fit for consumption and for making illicit liquor (sulai) was seized and destroyed," said Baruah.

The tins containing molasses were destroyed in a nearby pond in the presence of Excise, Food Safety, police personnel, various organisations and media persons.

Prior to the raid, the Food Safety department had served notice to the owner on June 20 and asked him to destroy the molasses which he had stored in his godown without any valid documents. When the owner did not pay any heed, the godown was sealed and an FIR was filed against him by the Food Safety Officer at Merapani Police Station in Golaghat.

The action taken by the departments has drawn appreciation from different quarters who opined that such raids should continue to put a stop to illicit liquor (sulai) endangering many a life.

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