KAKINADA: Liquor is flowing to Telangana areas like Bhadrachalam, Charla and Aswaraopeta from Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh through the merged mandals to build the tempo for the November 30 TS Assembly elections.
Liquor has been stocked at some villages in merged mandals like Yetapaka, Kunavaram, Velerupadu, Yetapaka, VR Puram, Kukkunuru, Chinturu and some villages in Burgampahad.
According to sources, the stocks are now being shifted to the Telangana areas, in particular the agency villages. Arrack is also being carried on a large scale to Telangana villages.
The liquor is being transported to Telangana areas from Odisha and Chhattisgarh through the interior routes of Nellipaka and Chatti villages in Chinturu and Yetapaka mandals.
Arrack is being consumed in large quantities in agency villages. Previously, liquor prices in Telangana were less than those of AP. But, the Telangana government hiked the prices recently and they are now higher than the AP rates. Hence, liquor flow to TS has increased from AP.
Aswaraopeta and Sathupalli mandals in Telangana are nearer to Jeelugumilli, Chintalapudi, Jangareddygudem and other mandals in Eluru district of AP.
Eluru DIG Ashok Kumar told Deccan Chronicle that all borders in merged mandals like Kukkunuru, Velerupadu and others have been strictly monitored by setting up seven check posts. More than 150 police personnel are engaged at the check posts round the clock.
Some 151 litres of ID was seized and 140 cases were booked. Also, 14,000 litres of jaggery wash has been destroyed and 40 NDPL cases, 205 ganja cases were registered in seven mandals of Eluru district, after the enforcement of election code for the Telangana elections.
