Protest by students and residents leads to excise action
Moradabad: School students, supported by local residents, staged a sit-in outside a liquor outlet in Moradabad on Tuesday, forcing the shop to shut down temporarily and pressing the administration for its relocation. District Magistrate Dr Rajendra Pensiya reached the spot after being informed and met the protesters, following which excise officials issued orders including closure of the canteen attached to the shop and a notice to the licence-holder to shift the outlet.
The demonstration represented an escalation of a long-running neighbourhood campaign against the outlet, which residents say creates difficulties for children travelling to and from school. Women from the area had earlier protested on 2 August, seeking removal of the shop, and residents subsequently gave the administration a 15-day deadline for action before staging further protests.
"You are the future of the nation," the District Magistrate told the students, urging them to remain focused on their studies.
Excise department and legal context
The Excise Department, in earlier responses to local complaints, had cited regulations and maintained that the liquor shop was operating lawfully. Officials pointed out that the school in question was established after the liquor shop, a factor the department said was relevant to licensing and siting rules. Despite that position, the renewed public protest prompted immediate administrative attention and enforcement steps on Tuesday.
- Protest participants: school students and local residents, including women activists who staged an earlier demonstration on 2 August.
- Administration action: District Magistrate Dr Rajendra Pensiya visited the site; excise officials closed the canteen and issued a notice to the licence-holder to shift the outlet.
- History: Residents had given a 15-day deadline before staging the recent sit-in when their demand for relocation was not met.
Local stakes and administrative response
For residents and parents, the presence of a liquor outlet so close to a school is tied to concerns over student safety and the environment around the institution. The protest by children from the Gen Alpha cohort brought renewed visibility to the campaign, prompting the District Magistrate to engage directly with the demonstrators and the neighbourhood.
Officials present on the spot listened to grievances and told students to continue their education while the administration examined the complaints. The excise action reported after the protest involved temporary closure of the canteen attached to the shop and an official notice to the licence-holder to relocate the outlet. The department's earlier contention that the school was established after the liquor shop highlights the regulatory complexities authorities must consider when assessing demands for relocation.
| Event | Date / Status |
|---|---|
| Women-led protest | 2 August — reported earlier demonstration |
| Resident 15-day deadline | Expired before Tuesday's sit-in |
| Student-resident sit-in | Tuesday — forced temporary closure; DM visited |
| Excise action | Canteen closed; notice issued to shift outlet |
The incident underscores a recurring challenge for city administrations balancing licensed commercial activity and community concerns around educational institutions. The excise department's declaration that the outlet was operating within the law, juxtaposed with residents' insistence on relocation, sets up a procedural path involving licence review, rule interpretation and possible re-siting of the business if authorities find grounds to do so.
Local stakeholders now await follow-up from the district administration and the excise department on whether the notice to shift will lead to a formal relocation order, licence modification or other regulatory measures. In the meantime, the sit-in has temporarily halted operations at the outlet and brought renewed public attention to the proximity of liquor sales to schools in Moradabad.
