crime news: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Dec 23: Tension erupted at Kamarda Bazar in Odisha’s Balasore district on Monday during a crackdown by excise officials targeting brown sugar peddlers. The situation escalated when family members of a woman arrested for alleged brown sugar trafficking clashed with the excise team, even going so far as to snatch the keys from their vehicle.
The incident began when a team of excise officials, acting on a tip-off, conducted a raid on a house in Kamarda Bazar, leading to the arrest of the woman for her suspected involvement in the drug trade. Her family vehemently opposed the arrest, claiming she was being falsely accused. They argued that the substance seized from her home was actually a cosmetic powder, ‘Multani Mitti,’ rather than the brown sugar alleged by the officials.
In their anger, the family not only confronted the excise team but also took their vehicle keys, effectively detaining them. Once the excise officials managed to secure the arrest, the family staged a protest on the road, demanding the woman’s immediate release. The Kamarda police arrived to diffuse the situation, but the protesters insisted they would continue their demonstration until their demands were met.
