The nation-wide lockdown has forced a dry spell all over the country, but the rats in a government-run shop in Addanki, Andhra Pradesh, are surely in high spirits. The staff of this shop located in Prakasam district, told government officials that rats have consumed 78 bottles in this particular shop. The local excise circle inspector B. Srinuvasulu said, “There are small holes in some bottles, and the rats might have the reason behind them. We will probe this entire incident.”
It is to be noted that discrepencies were found in 13 out of 30 shops that were raided. BJP leader Lanka Dinakar, hailing from the same district, critcised this entire incident and said, “The statement by shop owners about the consumption of liquor by rats come at a highly suspicious time, now when they were accused of selling liquor at exorbitant prices in the black market. Some liquor was also confisctated from raids at YSRCP leaders’ houses. A detailed probe must be carried out into this entire incident.” Locals are not buying this entire narrative around rats being responsible for the disappearance and have complained that the liquor is being sold at higher prices from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 a bottle depending on the brand. They are now asking if the government actually plans to file a chargesheet against these rats?
