Around 300 Sakhi Mandal members from the villages of Madhi, Kotmunda, Bhesudala, Vaskuio, Surali, Balda and Bhatlav assembled outside the office of Collector Dilip Rawal in the morning.

They forwarded a list of their demands to him and sought police protection to the members. They also made representations to SP K G Bhati and Bardoli mamlatdar.

In the interior villages of Bardoli and Mahuva talukas, the women have themselves started destroying the liquor dens. They are also handing over the bootleggers to the police, as no action has been taken by the authorities despite

several complaints.

Eleven youths at Bhesudala village in Bardoli have died after consuming spurious liquor in the last 40 days. Five liquor dens were active in the village and even after regular reminders to the

police by the Sakhi Mandal, no action was taken. The bootleggers had apparently threatened a few members not to target the dens as the police were hand-in-glove with them.

Jayaben Choudhary, a Sakhi Mandal member from Bhesudala village, said: “We want to teach a lesson to the bootleggers who continued with their illegal activities even after the death of 11 youths. The police did not take any steps even after regular complaints from us. The bootleggers threatened us. Now, we have sought help from the district collector and the superintendent of police. We have requested them to do the needful.”

Sunita Choudhary, a Sakhi Mandal member from Vaskui, said: “We have sought police support while carrying out the drive, as we face threats from the bootleggers. If our demands are not fulfilled, we will resort to agitations in the coming days. The bootleggers mix chemicals like sulphate and urea among others to make the liquor more strong, which often prove fatal for many.”

Bhati said: “We are ready to help the Sakhi Mandal members, as they are doing an important work. I have given them my personal number and have told them that they can contact me whenever the police fail to initiate action, even after reminders. I have assured them that the police will