Holi celebrations received an early safety boost as excise officials from Ramgarh and Ranchi exposed and shut down a fake liquor factory operating brazenly near their shared border. The high-stakes raid unfolded Thursday in Ptaratu block’s Talatand locality, prompted by confidential tips.
Assistant Excise Commissioner Arvind Kujur oversaw the joint sweep, targeting a building under construction with asbestos sheets. The site yielded a treasure trove of incriminating evidence: piles of empty PET bottles labeled for Royal Challenge whisky (80 crates of 180ml), Black Dog (59 crates), Signature (1 crate), fake labels (15 bundles for multiple brands), caps (5 crates), one industrial punching machine, 15 bundles of cartons, and 4 crates of packing tape.
Inspector Kongres Kumar, part of the raiding party, enumerated the extensive inventory, pointing to a well-oiled racket supplying adulterated spirits to unsuspecting buyers.
As Jharkhand gears up for Holi, this intervention highlights the excise wing’s proactive stance against syndicates peddling poisonous brews. Past incidents of mass poisoning from fake alcohol have scarred communities, making such vigilance critical.
Confiscated goods are under custody, with probes intensifying to nab the kingpins. Officials call on citizens to report suspicious activities, reinforcing community involvement in maintaining festive safety.