Nagpur: Gadchiroli police recently initiated the first bulldozer action against organised crime, demolishing an unauthorised godown belonging to the liquor mafia at Armori in the dry district.Gadchiroli, a tribal-dominated district that long suffered due to Maoist violence, is now witnessing a renewed focus on rooting out crime syndicates. With prohibition in place in the district, police are intensifying operations against liquor smuggling, black marketing and other unlawful activities.Acting on a tip-off, assistant SP Aniket Hirde and his team laid a trap on June 10 in Armori and nabbed Sunil Jibhkate and his accomplices while allegedly transporting and hoarding large quantities of country-made liquor, foreign liquor and hand-brewed ‘mahua’ liquor in a four-wheeler.An FIR was registered against Jibhkate at Armori police station. Police seized the illicit liquor along with the vehicle, with the total value of the recovered material amounting to Rs 16 lakh. Subsequent verification revealed that a godown near the BSNL tower in Armori, registered in the accused’s name, was unauthorised. Armori Nagar Parishad last week demolished the building following intimation from the police.Gadchiroli SP M Ramesh said, “The joint operation sends a strong message that action against illegal liquor will not stop at seizures. It will extend to demolishing unauthorised constructions that shelter such rackets.”The drive was supervised by additional SP (operations) Kartik Madhira and additional SP (administration) Gokul Raj G, with assistance from Armori Nagar Parishad officials.“Similar coordinated actions are expected to continue, reinforcing law and order in the district,” said Ramesh, adding, “There will be no leniency for those who break the law.”
