10 held after liquor vend protest turns into brawl in Delhi’s Devli

NEW DELHI: Ten people were arrested after a scuffle outside a liquor store in south Delhi’s Devli on Thursday. The local residents clashed with the bouncers employed by a liquor vend there. The shop had opened recently and the locals had been opposing its operations in the locality by sitting on a protest for the past couple of days. They claimed that the liquor store had been opened illegally in a residential area and weren’t happy at the possible influence this would have on the neighbourhood children.
According to the cops, the police control room received a call around 8.30pm on Thursday about a quarrel at an alcohol outlet. Police personnel were already deployed at the spot because of women protestors expressing their resentment at the opening of the liquor shop in the locality. Some women staff had also been posted there by the owner of the shop.
“At one point, there were heated arguments between the protesting women and the women shop staff. The store employees tried to pacify them, but both the groups became aggressive. The protestors manhandled the shop’s staff,” said Benita Mary, DCP (South). “Head constable Ranjeet, who is also the beat officer, was roughed up so badly that his uniform was torn by the protesters. The situation was, however, brought under control and the injured people underwent medical examinations."
While a case has been registered in the incident, 10 people have been arrested. The situation in the area is now under control and police personnel in sufficient numbers have been deployed to prevent any unwanted escalation.
Rajkumar Soni, a shopkeeper in the area who witnessed the fracas, said, “The women of the locality and some other people have been protesting against the liquor store for the past 60 days. They want the liquor store to be closed down because it is operating in a residential area. It impacts children, it is illegal in every way and is located close to a religious shrine too.”
Soni said the residents had filed several complaints with the excise department and sent protest letters to the lieutenant governor, chief minister and government departments. “We protest here for two hours every day,” said Soni. “The liquor store people understood that the protestors wouldn’t budge so they employed bouncers. On the day of the incident, there were at least 50 bouncers present. Some of the women protestors were also injured during the scuffle.”