Akola : Tension has gripped Gawandgaon village in Patur taluka after a 21-year-old youth, Rupesh Dnyandev Rathod, allegedly ended his life by hanging himself from a lemon tree near his home. Villagers claim he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
Residents, especially women, have accused local police of turning a blind eye to rampant illegal liquor sales in the area. They allege liquor is openly available, and those who complain are threatened and abused after their names are leaked to the sellers.
The village sarpanch and gram panchayat members say they have lodged multiple complaints, but no action has been taken to curb the trade. Police, however, maintain the suicide was linked to debt and depression, asserting that they regularly conduct raids on illicit liquor dens.
Villagers are now demanding action from the Akola Superintendent of Police, accusing the local station in-charge of sabotaging the state’s Mission Udaan campaign against substance abuse in rural areas.
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