A large number of women hit the streets of Haribashar village in south Assam’s Karimganj district on Saturday, demanding a crackdown on sale of illicit liquor and gambling in the area.

At noon, the women visited shops which allegedly sell illicit liquor and asked them to close down, failing which they threatened to raze the shops.

Sensing trouble, the shop-owners downed shutters and fled, sources said.

The women said the atmosphere in the village had been vitiated by illicit liquor shops and gambling dens.

They said the poor become poorer as they gamble away their meagre resources in the desire to become rich overnight while the drunkards create a ruckus in the area, especially after sunset.

The women sought the intervention of the authorities concerned to close the illegal businesses at the earliest.

Bahar Uddin, a resident of adjacent Kathaltali village and president of Nabajagaran Multipurpose NGO, said police had taken action recently, following repeated complaints by the residents but the situation was back to square one.

He alleged that teer (a lottery-style archery game of indigenous origin where the betting involves people having to guess the number of arrows that hit the bullseye) tickets were being sold openly. This form of gambling is prevalent in Meghalaya too.

Residents alleged that a section of police was involved in the unlawful business and hence they turned a blind eye to the illicit liquor and gambling dens mushrooming and flourishing in the area.

The locals said the role of the excise department was also suspicious.

A resident of Patharkandi said liquor was sold by roadside hotels along National Highway 6 and gambling dens existed in every nook and corner of Patharkandi constituency.

Jhandi-munda (another gambling game) is played through applications on mobile phones and a huge number of people take part in such gambling every day.

The residents named Sonakhira, Tinkhal, Chandkhira, Kalkalighat, Champabari, Patharkandi, Putni, Deolakhal, Baithakhal, Lowairpua, Shibergul and Bazaricherra villages, among others, as dens for such illegal businesses.

The shops are mostly visited by tea garden workers, cart-pullers and wage-earners, they said. Some others said a large number of youths, including students, are also falling prey to addiction because of the illegal shops.

The residents said the authorities must seriously consider the issue and take action to save the future generation.

The officer-in-charge of Patharkandi police station, Simanta Bora, on Saturday said the police are alert and efforts are on to prevent unlawful activities. He dismissed the allegation of teer tickets being sold in broad daylight.

An official of Patharkandi excise department, Aniruddh Saha, said several operations were carried out before elections and will also be conducted at various places in the next few days.