Fed up with increasing alcohol addiction in the village, the residents - majority of them women and youth - had on Monday staged a massive protest.

They had warned about levying a penalty of Rs 10,000 on anyone selling arrack. However, some merchants and pan shop owners continued with the illegal sale. As soon as they got wind of it, women and youth swooped down on the shops and ‘seized’ more than 60 bottles of arrack on Thursday night.

Meeting held
A meeting was held in the presence of village elders on Friday and four erring shop owners were asked to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 each.

A man who brought the bottles in a vehicle was asked to pay up Rs 2,500 and the vehicle driver was directed to deposit Rs 500 as fine.

The sellers were made to apologise in public. It was decided to deposit the penalty sum with a co-operative bank in the village.