Gujarat: Five Dahod cops attacked during raid on bootlegger

VADODARA: A team of five policemen from the state vigilance team came under a massive attack from a bootlegger and his accomplices in Dahod’s Jalat village late on Saturday night.
Police had to fire five rounds in the air after a group of around 30 people resorted to heavy stone pelting when they had gone to raid the house of notorious bootlegger Arjun Panda.
The vigilance team had received information that Panda had brought a huge stock of liquor and stored it in his house. When the squad began checking the house and seizing the liquor stock, Panda returned with a group of around 30 people and began pelting stones on the cops, who were caught unawares.
Though no policeman suffered injuries in the attack, the rioters badly damaged their three vehicles in an attempt to scare them away.
The squad members then fired five rounds in air to disperse the mob. When the rioters did not relent, the squad sought the help of Dahod police that rushed in to help. Panda managed to escape in the melee but the police seized liquor stock worth Rs 5.39 lakh from his house. Three cars and two mobile phones too were seized from the spot.
An offence has been registered against Panda and others under the Prohibition Act and rioting.
Police said that Panda had brought in the liquor from Alkesh Bakaliya, a bootlegger from Madhya Pradesh, and he was preparing to distribute it locally.
Dahod police have now launched a hunt for Panda who has reportedly fled from the district.