- The incident has sparked outrage and embarrassed local authorities
- A preliminary probe confirmed the sale of liquor to minors, an act that violates the law
- The shop owner is being interrogated, and officials are also probing whether the girls acted alone
A video shows girl students in school uniforms buying alcohol from a government liquor shop in Nainpur in Mandla district district of Madhya Pradesh.
The incident has sparked outrage, embarrassed local authorities, and raised serious questions about law enforcement and social awareness in the state.
The CCTV footage, now in wide circulation, shows a group of uniform-clad schoolgirls, their heads partially covered with scarves, walking into the liquor shop. They approach the counter, buy the alcohol, and leave.
The shopkeeper not only entertained their request but completed the sale, a clear violation of law.
Within hours of the video going viral, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ashutosh Thakur, along with the Tehsildar and local police, rushed to the shop for an on-the-spot investigation.
Authorities examined the CCTV footage frame by frame.
A preliminary probe confirmed the sale of liquor to minors, an act that violates the General License Conditions (GLC) and constitutes a criminal offense under liquor laws.
Following the findings, SDM Thakur instructed the Excise Department to conduct a detailed investigation and submit an immediate action report.
The shop owner is being interrogated, and officials are also probing whether the girls acted alone or were sent by someone else.
"The investigation has found the matter to be true. A report will be sent to the Collector soon. The liquor shop's licence will be revoked and a penalty imposed. The employee who sold alcohol to the minors will be terminated. Selling liquor to minors is a grave violation of the licence conditions," District Excise Officer Ramji Pandey said.
The revelation has triggered a wave of anger across Mandla and beyond. Locals have demanded strict action against the shop owner and accountability from the administration, questioning how minors were allowed to purchase alcohol so openly.
The controversy has quickly turned political.
Former MLA and Congress District President Dr Ashok Marskole condemned the incident sharply, saying, "When Jitu Patwari cited a central government report to highlight rising alcoholism in Madhya Pradesh, BJP leaders burned his effigy. Today, when schoolgirls are buying liquor in Nainpur, where are those same leaders and their so-called women's power?"
