Cops try to foil anti-TASMAC stir, face people’s wrath

The protesters, including women and children, alleged that TASMAC outlets were functioning in their locality in violation of the High Court’s directive not to open liquor shops in residential areas and not to arrest anyone staging anti-TASMAC protests in a peaceful manner. 

The two outlets, which are on Erikarai Street at Adambakkam’s Gandhi Nagar locality, were opened recently. Locals, who were opposing the opening of the shops from the beginning, hit the streets after a tippler, who had come out of the liquor shop on Friday night, urinated in the lone tank which supplies drinking water to the entire street. 

On Saturday, anticipating trouble the cops barricaded the liquor shops even before the protesters reached the spot. 

Even before sloganeering could begin, the cops moved forward and asked boys to leave the place. This irked the residents, who were planning a road blockade. As the menrefused, cops forced some of them into their vehicle and then hurled a volley of abuses against other protesters. After a heated argument, cops rounded up all the protesters and took them to a marriage hall. “The liquor shop is just 2 feet away from a residential building. The customers fall in front of the shop or on the road after downing a few drinks causing hindrance to other road users. It is a daily problem for our children as they have to cross these two shops while going to school,” said Rajan, a resident. 

Another protester named Latha, while vouching the views of Rajan, wondered why the state was opening liquor shop in residential areas. “We will continue our protest until these shops are closed. We are not even able to fetch water from the only tank in our locality,” Latha told DTNext.

TASMAC shop no 738, which was closed in Saidapet following the Supreme Court directive barring operations of liquor shops and bars on highways, was relocated to Erikarai Street within a fortnight, and became functional from April 12. Another shop (TASMAC shop no 1001), which was closed in the same neighbourhood earlier, was also opened alongside it.