Rourkela: Five persons were arrested by Dharuadihi police in Sundargarh district on Tuesday evening for allegedly obstructing and assaulting police and excise officials following a raid against illegal liquor brewing in a village. An excise sub-inspector sustained a head injury in the attack.On Monday, a team of excise officials, accompanied by personnel from Dharuadihi police station, conducted a raid at Alangpani village against the illegal distillation and sale of mahua liquor. During a search of the adjoining forest area, the team destroyed around 1,200 kg of fermented mahua wash (poch) and 400 litres of illicit liquor.While returning from the village, the officials were allegedly intercepted by a group of villagers, who attacked them with stones, catapults and lathis. A Bolero vehicle was damaged in the attack, while Phula Sahu, sub-inspector of Sundargarh excise station, suffered a head injury.Based on Sahu’s complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation.On Tuesday morning, acting on the directions of Sundargarh SP Amritpal Kaur, police conducted a raid led by the SDPO (Sadar) with personnel from Bhasma and Dharuadihi police stations, along with armed police reserve (APR) forces.Five accused were arrested on Tuesday evening and four motorcycles were seized during the operation. The arrested persons were identified as Binod Kishan (38), Benudhar Kishan (29), Bharat Kishan (35), Babuli Kishan (43) and Haladhar Kishan (34), all residents under the Dharuadihi police station limits.Police said further investigation into the case is underway.
