Tirupati: Women in Tirupati staged a protest demanding that wine shops near educational institutions, temples and hospitals. They took exception to the state government sanctioning more number of wine shops in Tirupati, even without considering that it is a holy place visited by lakhs of devotees on a daily basis.
The women demanded that the number of liquor shops in Tirupati should be reduced and also the sale of liquor should also be checked. One of the women said that her husband died due to over consumption of liquor one-and-a-half years ago and that she had not received pension so far.
They condemned the new liquor policy and the unchecked sale of liquor in the state. "According to the rules, liquor shops should not be set up near educational institutions, hospitals and temples but violating the norms, shops have been opened at all possible places. Tirupati is a spiritual centre and it is not fair to have a huge number of shops in the town."
The women wanted the officials to remove liquor shops from densely populated areas and from nearby hospitals and temples.
