Delhi Police constable injured during a raid on a bootlegger’s home in Badarpur, Southeast Delhi, when a violent mob armed with sticks and bricks attacked officers on Monday evening. The clash broke out around 8 PM in the Gautampuri area, leaving one officer critically hurt and raising alarms about the illegal liquor trade.
The raid started after police received a tip at 7 PM about large quantities of liquor stored at the house of Kailash, 63. He is a known bootlegger with several past cases under the Excise Act. Constables Lakhan and Satbir, dressed in civilian clothes, spotted Kailash and an associate openly selling liquor on a staircase. When they tried to intervene, Kailash shouted to the crowd, urging them to kill the officers to protect the business.
The violence escalated quickly. Kailash, his wife Seeta, an associate named Sameer, and a minor boy joined the mob. They hurled bricks and beat Constable Satbir with sticks, leaving him unconscious with severe injuries. Emergency responders rushed him to Apollo Hospital, where doctors found him unfit to give a statement.
Reinforcements soon arrived and arrested Kailash, Sameer, and the 17-year-old boy. Others escaped in the chaos, but Seeta was later caught. Police filed a First Information Report at Badarpur Police Station, pressing charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These include obstruction of duty, assault on a public servant, attempted murder, petty organized crime, and common intent.
This attack highlights the wider problem of bootlegging in Delhi and Punjab. Punjab, with one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in India, struggles with illegal liquor trade, addiction, and substance abuse. Despite strict Excise Act rules, enforcement often falls short.
However, police now plan to track down the remaining attackers and dismantle the network in Badarpur. Their goal is to reduce organized bootlegging and curb alcohol-related issues. The case of the Delhi Police constable injured underscores both the risks faced by officers and the urgent need to control illegal liquor operations.
