Illegal Liquor Trade Near Dharmanagar District Hospital Raises Questions Over Enforcement in North Tripura

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 24, 2026

Allegations of illegal liquor sales and the proliferation of substance abuse have once again raised serious concerns over law enforcement and administrative monitoring in Tripura, with local residents alleging that an unauthorised liquor outlet is operating barely around 50 metres from the Dharmanagar District Hospital.

According to allegations raised by local residents, an unauthorised liquor business has been operating in the vicinity of the hospital, creating considerable concern among patients, their families, hospital employees and people living in the surrounding areas. Residents claim that liquor and other intoxicating substances are being sold openly, despite the sensitive location and the presence of a major healthcare institution nearby.

The allegations reportedly triggered tension in the area on Sunday morning when members of a local women's group and residents visited several shops at around 9 am and confronted the alleged operators. The group claimed to have found liquor and other materials at some of the establishments and alleged that the substances were being sold without proper authorisation. Some bottles and other items were reportedly taken out of a shop and thrown onto the roadside during the protest, while the incident also resulted in arguments between local residents and shop operators.

Residents have further alleged that several shops in the area have been operating without proper licences and that some establishments may have encroached upon government land. These allegations have raised questions about how such businesses have allegedly continued operating for an extended period with the TSECL electricity Supply without effective administrative intervention.

The most serious concern, according to residents, is the alleged proximity of the liquor outlet to the District Hospital. They argue that if an unauthorised liquor business is indeed operating so close to the hospital, the issue requires immediate verification and appropriate action by the administration and enforcement agencies. The presence of liquor-related activities near a hospital, residents say, can adversely affect the surrounding social environment and create security concerns for patients, women, children and hospital staff.

The latest allegations have also revived a wider political debate over Tripura's stated objective of creating a drug-free Tripura. Critics argue that the government has repeatedly highlighted its commitment to combating substance abuse, while allegations of widespread availability of liquor and narcotic substances continue to emerge from different parts of the state.

Opposition voices and local activists have also alleged that since 2018 the number of liquor outlets in Tripura has increased substantially, with some claiming that licences have increased several-fold. They have questioned the reported presence of liquor businesses near schools, hospitals and other sensitive locations and demanded greater transparency regarding licensing, renewal and enforcement procedures. These claims, however, require verification from official excise and government records.

Alongside the allegations concerning liquor, concerns have also been expressed over the availability of illicit narcotic substances such as cough syrup containing codeine, brown sugar, heroin and cannabis in different parts of Tripura. Local critics have alleged that organised networks are involved in the movement of narcotics into the state and have questioned whether enforcement agencies are succeeding in identifying and dismantling the principal trafficking networks rather than merely arresting lower-level carriers or users.

There have also been allegations that narcotic substances are being transported through railway networks and subsequently distributed through local sources.

The issue has acquired additional political significance following references to former Tripura Director General of Police Anurag Dhankar and the enforcement measures undertaken during his tenure. Critics claim that stronger action had been initiated against organised drug networks during that period and that the narcotics trade has subsequently expanded.

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