Liquor van overturns on NH-33, villagers make away with bottles

Jamshedpur: A van carrying a consignment of liquor from Dhanbad to Dimna overturned near Jhabri on NH-33 in Seraikela-Kharsawan district early on Sunday, triggering chaos as villagers rushed to collect scattered bottles.The accident occurred when traffic on the highway was relatively light. Preliminary investigation suggests that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn. The van was damaged, though the driver escaped unhurt.Soon after the accident, liquor bottles were strewn across the road, attracting villagers who scrambled to gather as many bottles as possible. Witnesses said several people were seen carrying away bottles, leading to a brief disruption in vehicular movement.Personnel from Chowka police station reached the spot, dispersed the crowd, and cleared the road to restore traffic flow. The damaged vehicle was moved to the roadside.Chowka police station officer in-charge Gaurav Kumar said the van was carrying liquor bottles worth around Rs 4.62 lakh. “Nearly 90% of the bottles were destroyed in the accident, while several others were taken away by villagers before police intervention. The remaining liquor has been seized,” he said.Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.