Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 27: Mob including women today set on fire a wine shop at Bagh-e-Bahu, located close to historic Bahu Fort temple, alleging that several people have died after consuming liquor from this particular shop, the latest being a middle-aged man of Baazigar Basti, who died this morning, leaving behind his widow and two children.
Large number of people including youth, women and elders gathered outside Grapes Wine Shop this morning after Pritam Kumar of Baazigar Basti, Bahu Fort, who had consumed liquor from the shop last night, died during early hours of this morning.
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The mob gathered around Grapes Wine Shop and set it on fire alleging that several people have died after consuming liquor from this shop. They charged that the shopkeeper was mixing injections and capsules in frooties and wine bottles, leading to deaths of the people.
Police parties and Fire fighting personnel rushed to the spot and fought hard to control the blaze as agitated people including women made repeated attempts to torch the wine shop while shouting slogans.
Police teams headed by SP City (South) Sandeep Choudhary and other senior officers rushed to the spot and tried to persuade the mob to give up protests as the people had blockaded Main Bahu Fort road.
Choudhary told reporters at the spot that a man Pritam Kumar of Baazigar Basti, Bahu Fort had died this morning and people claimed that he breathed his last after consuming liquor from the shop. He said police have initiated proceedings under Section 174 CrPC for further investigations.
The SP said body of the victim was sent to the hospital for post-mortem, the report of which is awaited.
Choudhary said there was resentment among the people and they had blocked the road and also tried to burn the shop. He added that the family has been assured whatever legal help was possible for them including the welfare measures.
Local people told the reporters that earlier also there had been incidents when people had died after consuming liquor from the wine shop.
Demanding closure of the wine shop, they alleged that the shop had been mixing injections and capsules in frooties and bottles.
“Several youth have been ruined by consuming liquor. Many women have turned widows and children orphans. It was time to close the shop,” the people said.
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