Bhubaneswar, Jul 14: Odisha Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan has strongly refuted reports of alcohol-related deaths in Dhenkanal’s Rasol area, calling them “completely false.”

Speaking at a departmental review meeting, Harichandan clarified that the reported death was due to kidney failure, not illicit liquor consumption. “The media initially reported it as a liquor death, but after learning the facts, the coverage stopped. Many such false claims are being circulated,” said the Excise Minister.

The minister emphasized that all district Excise Superintendents have been given full autonomy to crack down on illegal liquor and foreign alcohol smuggling. “Wherever such activities are taking place, they will be rooted out completely,” he added.

Harichandan, who is also Odisha’s Law Minister, has condemned the recent incident in Lakshmipur, Rayagada, where a couple was allegedly dragged to a kangaroo court by local villagers. Terming the act “highly unethical and illegal,” he warned that taking the law into one’s own hands will lead to punishment.

“This is a cruel tradition. Torturing individuals through kangaroo courts is a violation of law. The government has clear legal provisions against such acts,” the Law Minister said. He further noted that influential individuals in villages are often behind such practices and blamed the lack of awareness for their persistence.

The state government has reiterated its commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens from unlawful and exploitative practices.

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