Protest against opening of liquor shop in Inuvil

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 12:52 GMT]
Several civil groups Monday held a demonstration and a sit-in-protest in front of the Uduvil Divisional Secretariat demanding the closure of a liquor shop that opened from businees Monday morning in Inuvil area in Valigamam division in Jaffna district, civil sources said.

The liquor shop located in a residential area was allowed permission to conduct businees despite the protests by the people of the area .

The owner of the liquor shop is alleged to have the support of a main political party based in south of Sri Lanka.

Large number of soldiers and policemen were deployed to give protection to the liquor shop, sources said.

Infuriated residents of the area immediately launched a demonstration and went in procession demanding the closure of the liquor shop and held a sit-in-protest in front of the Uduvil DS secretariat.

Protestors blocked the entrance of the DS office preventing employees entering the office, sources said.

On receipt of information from the Uduvil DS and the Government Agent, a police party led by a high official rushed to the scene and held talks with the protestors.

Police officers persuaded the protestors to abandon their sit-in-protest after and the liquor shop was forced to close its doors suspending business, sources said.

Later in the evening an attempt made to reopen the liquor shop was thwarted by a group of residents.

Protestors thereafter handed over a memorandum to the Uduvil DS condemning the Police and SLA for providing security to newly opened liquor shop, sources said.