Couple running petty shop held for selling liquor

A couple running a petty shop has been arrested for illegally selling alcohol in southern Bengaluru, a police officer said.

Around 12.45 pm on April 6, sub-inspector Kumar Mukanvar and other officers from the Bandepalya police station rushed to a vacant site near the Bandepalya graveyard after receiving information that a large crowd had gathered there in violation of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The police team found that several people were carrying 90-ml Tetra-paks of whisky. The police stopped a woman labourer, identified as Meenamma, and asked her where did get the packet. Meenamma told them that a couple, identified as Gopala and Kaveramma, were selling the liquor.

The police raided the shop but many buyers managed to run away. The police found at least 20 whisky packets in the shop and detained the couple for questioning. The couple told the police that they had bought the alcohol from a wine store before the lockdown started. They have been booked under the Karnataka Excise Act and IPC section 188 for violating prohibitory orders, the officer said.