Irate residents of Thattanchavady led by AINRC MLA Ashok Anand on Wednesday went on a rampage and ransacked an arrack shop located at Goundampalayam in Thattanchavady.
The agitators destroyed the arrack stocks inside the outlet and blocked the arterial Tindivanam Road throwing traffic out of gear.
Tension prevailed when over 200 persons led by MLA Ashok Anand assembled in front of the arrack shop at Goundampalayam. They stormed into the vending area and went on a rampage destroying stocks and plastic barrels of arrack. The attack sent the tipplers running helter-skelter.
The agitators claimed that the arrack shop had been notified for renewal of license in the Government Gazette despite strong protests from locals.
Women in the area had already staged a protest against the functioning of the liquor shop recently. Despite stiff protests the outlet continued to function.
Mr. Ashok Anand said that the outlet located in the vicinity of a hospital and educational institutions was causing hardship to residents and students. Though the residents have been demanding the closure of the outlet, the Excise department has failed to take any action.
Traffic jam
The agitators later walked out and blocked traffic on the Tindivanam Road resulting in traffic jams for over an hour. A few Traffic police personnel on duty at the Rajiv Gandhi signal held talks with the agitators and urged them to withdraw the protest.
The congestion affected hundreds of office goers. Long distance buses bound to Chennai and other destinations were caught in the traffic jam. Police personnel arrived at the spot only after 20 minutes and held talks with the agitators.
At one stage the motorists and vehicle owners indulged in heated exchanges with the agitators disrupting traffic. Police personnel intervened and led aside 50 agitators including the MLA and cleared the traffic.
This is the second instance of public anger against the liquor outlet located in residential areas. Activists of the All India Women Democratic Association along with residents of Goundampalayam had ransacked the outlet area last year.
