With the national lockdown chaining all public outlets and services, the most-suffering among the public, apparently, seems to be the booze lovers!
The shutting down of alcohol shops these days was the hottest topic of discussion ever since the announcement of the lockdown. States like Kerala had even proposed an option to provide alcohol under doctor's prescription but was shielded by the state High Court judgment.
While social media brims with memes and jokes on the 'pathetic' live without alcohol, it is transparent that unlocking the shutters of beverage shops is the most anticipated now.
The dark side of the lockdown
Although these discussions appear goofy, illicit liquor and alleged liquor manufacturing units flourish on the other side.
Nevertheless, the lockdown has also set off a slew of other crimes.
Utilising the public despair and state of utter hopelessness in this crisis, fake advertisements that guarantee to provide alcohol at your doorstep have started popping up online randomly.
Not to say, endless numbers of people have fallen in these trenches that make you pay a fortune for a shot that would never ring your doorbells.
In a recent case reported, a prominent scriptwriter in Bengaluru also occupies the list, who has lost about Rs 10,440 after he fell for a fake advertisement. The 42-year old scriptwriter spoke to the media that he fell for an advertisement assuming that the state had approved online delivery of liquor.
"I checked the advertisement on social media before sending a message to the contact number asking if they would provide home delivery of alcohol. I asked him if the government had given permission for this and he replied in the affirmative," says the victim.
Fake online advertisements
The money was asked to be sent through a QR code. The writer is unaware of the QR code scams scanned the code and found a whopping amount deducted from his account. The police officer who filed a case on the incident reiterated that the government has banned all sorts of sale of liquor in the state, including the online sales.
Meanwhile, the Excise Department has caught four people, including a woman, indulged in selling liquor illegally in Amruthahalli. Officials have also seized liquor worth Rs 1.22 lakh from them.
