Liquor flows in Nagaland ahead of polls
Source: The Sangai Express / Anup Sharma / Courtesy: Daily Pioneer

Guwahati, January 18 2013: As the Election Commission has announced the dates for Assembly polls in the three Northeastern States, liquor � a popular mode of wooing voters across the country �seem to have started flowing in the Northeastern State of Nagaland.

This came to the light after Assam Police arrested nine persons and seized a huge consignment of liquor from a place in Jorhat district on the wee hours on Thursday.

The consignment, loaded in six vehicles, was bound for Nagaland, police said on Thursday.

The hilly Northeastern State of Nagaland is going to polls on February 23.Meghalaya will also go to polls on the same date while Assembly polls will be held in Tripura on February 14 this year.

The consignment included 476 bottles of rum, 578 bottles of King Fisher Beer, 244 bottles of Blenders' Pride, 24 bottles of Red Level and 21 bottles of Royal Stag whiskey, police said while adding that the consignment was worth around '8 lakh.

"We have arrested one T Longkumar for trying to carry the huge consignment of liquors to poll bound Nagaland.

There were a total of nine persons including Longkumar," said Jorhat Superintendent of Police Sanjukta Parashar.

"They were arrested regarding offences under electoral guidelines and their violations," she said while adding that the seized liquors were later handed over to the Excise Department.

"Although we have arrested them, it was a bailable offence and they are likely to be released on bail," said the SP.

She, however, refused to name any politician or any political party for their involvement behind the consignment.

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