Visakhapatnam: The closure of liquor shops on Wednesday and Thursday for the North Andhra Graduates MLC election has forced tipplers in the city to pay extra money for the liquor from the black market. It is said that they are being charged 30 per cent extra for beer and hard liquor on the city’s outskirts. The police had ordered retail liquor shops and bars attached to restaurants closed from March 7 evening ahead of the election. Sale of liquor will resume on March 10.
Vizag tops beer consumption in the state, and the closure of shops has come as something of a shock. “I have been receiving phone calls from regular customers from Tuesday night requesting me to arrange for alcohol for extra payment,” said liquor trader. “The voting is limited to about 1.5 lakh voters, who are highly educated and would not get influenced by liquor and cash. But officials have ordered closure of liquor shops. I was forced to pay Rs 200, Rs 60 more than MRP, for a bottle of beer,” says Mr R. Krishna, a resident of Seethammadhara.
Sources said that some persons had kept aside some liquor and were cashing in on the demand. On Wednesday some youngsters were seen consuming beer in the open places in the city.
