Muzaffarpur: The police crackdown against bootlegging in Madhopur Susta village under Maniyari police station received a setback when smugglers attacked more than 10 policemen, including the station house officer of Maniyari police station, Mihir Kumar Jha, and his Sadar counterpart Raj Kumar Mishra on Monday night.

The injured police officers have been admitted to Government Sadar Hospital for treatment. The district police have lodged a named FIR against 20 people involved in smuggling of liquor at Madhopur Susta and 200 unidentified villagers for the attack.

The excise department have short-listed names of 20 liquor smugglers of the said village for running a home delivery system of liquor in the district. Following a tip-off, the district police in consultation with the excise department went to seize the illegal consignment hidden in cattle sheds. The smugglers in league with the villagers attacked the policemen, who had to retreat gauging threat to their lives. Taking advantage of the commotion, the accused smugglers hurriedly transferred the liquor from the village and moved it to other safe hideouts.

Excise superintendent Dinbandhu said a handful of liquor smugglers had colonised the said village and had of late been involved in home delivery system of liquor.

"Youths of the village are paid handsomely for supplying bottles of liquor in piecemeal on motorbikes or cycles to evade police detection," said the excise superintendent.

Superintendent of police (city) Upendra Nath Verma said the FIR had been lodged against the smugglers for scuttling the liquor seizure. "Drastic action will be taken against those whosoever prevented cops to seize liquor. Now, STF personnel will conduct raids on the village," said the SP.