Patna, May 22: The Rohtas district administration has finally ordered removal of a controversial liquor shop in Pratapganj area of Sasaram within 24 hours.

Setting up of the shop in the locality, identified as sensitive, had led to a brawl between Sasaram’s BJP MLA Jawahar Prasad and Shahabad assistant excise commissioner Anand Kumar at the latter’s office on April 22.

The Telegraph had reported the incident on April 23. The MLA had tried to contact chief minister Nitish Kumar, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and other senior party leaders in Patna over the shop but in vain.

Wednesday’s action follows a report Rohtas district magistrate Sandeep Kumar R Pudakalkatti had sought from the director of the district’s national employment programme, Chaudhary Anant Narayan.

Pudakalkatti said: “The report revealed strong resentment in the area against setting up of the new liquor shop.”

He has asked assistant excise commissioner Kumar to shift the shop within 24 hours.

Narayan’s report recommended immediate shifting of the shop.

An earlier joint investigation by the sub-divisional officer and sub-divisional police officer had also recommended shifting of the shop from Pratapganj to Bolia road roundabout.

MLA Jawahar Prasad expressed satisfaction but feared the district magistrate’s order would not be complied with, as the assistant excise commissioner seemed unrelenting.

“If the shop is not shifted even after the district magistrate’s order it would send a wrong message about Nitish’s ‘good governance’,” Prasad told The Telgraph over phone from Sasaram.

Excise department sources said the assistant excise commissioner had written to the district magistrate seeking 15 days for executing the order. Anand Kumar refused to share any information with the media.

The MLA has threatened an agitation if the shop was not removed even after the district collector’s order.

“I will continue my agitation till the demand is met,” he said.