Bhubaneswar Excise officials successfully uncovered and dismantled a covert country liquor manufacturing unit hidden beneath an underground chamber in a modest 2BHK residence located in the Salia Sahi slum on Thursday. The operation resulted in the arrest of the homeowner, 36-year-old Samray Hansdah, and the confiscation of large quantities of raw materials used for illicit liquor production. According to Excise Deputy Superintendent Raj Sekhar Swain, the raid was conducted following a tip-off about illegal liquor operations in Salia Sahi, the city’s largest slum. The 40-minute search revealed a concealed distillery within the 400 square-foot house. Officials became suspicious after spotting a small door hidden behind a table in one of the bedrooms. Upon moving the furniture, they discovered the underground chamber where Hansdah had been operating the mini distillery for the past six months. "The accused was supplying illegal country liquor to multiple vendors across the city. During the raid, hundreds of liters of illicitly produced liquor and several quintals of fermented raw ingredients were seized," Swain confirmed. Local residents expressed surprise at the discovery, having been unaware of the illicit activities occurring within the residence. "We never suspected such an operation was running in such a small house. Salia Sahi has a reputation for illegal activities including illicit liquor and drug trades. Frequent crackdowns are crucial to tackle this issue," a local resident commented. This raid forms part of a broader initiative named 'Operation Prahaar,' launched by the excise department to eliminate illegal liquor production and distribution statewide. Earlier on September 28, excise officials, in partnership with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, demolished another residence in Salia Sahi that housed an illegal liquor unit. "We will persist with these operations, targeting liquor dens and clandestine manufacturing units based on actionable intelligence," Swain stated. In a simultaneous operation on Thursday, excise authorities also demolished an illegal country liquor production unit in the Panda Kudia slum, Bharatpur. Approximately 7,000 liters of illicitly distilled liquor were seized, and four individuals were arrested in connection with the operation.