In drive against antisocials and liquor, cops curb egg sale
BIZARRE LOGIC Police say selling eggs encourages alcoholism, residents inconvenienced
Police have clamped down on shops selling raw and cooked eggs in Vidhyadhar Nagar in their drive against antisocial elements who consume alcohol at the stalls.
The result: In the last few months, it’s easier to find live chickens in shops than eggs.
“In the last three months, police have driven out vendors who used to set up stalls selling fried eggs or omelettes. Police told us that anti-social elements come to egg shops and consume alcohol. Around 15-20 vendors have left Vidhyadhar Nagar,” said Zakir Ali, a vendor.
When HT contacted Chiranji Lal Meena, Vidhyadhar Nagar station house officer, he disconnected the phone saying he was busy. “We received information that there are some shops in the interior of Vidhyadhar Nagar where people consume alcohol with eggs; often liquor is served by shops,” said deputy commissioner of police (north) Anshuman Bhomia. “We received complaints that many of these people were involved in anti-social activities and that’s why we targeted those shops .”
Ali now earns his livelihood by selling boiled chicken. “Police often come to my shop to see whether I am selling eggs. Surprisingly they don’t have any problem with chicken but has this bizarre logic that selling of eggs encourages alcoholism and anti-social activities,” he said.
Dairy owners have also been told not to sell raw eggs. “The police come to check whether we are selling raw eggs. They ask us ‘Doodh ki dairy mein ando ka kya kaam?’ That’s why we aren’t able to sell eggs regularly and when we do, we hide them somewhere in the shop and don’t display over open racks,” a dairy owner told HT on anonymity.
“All shops and stalls have been issued orders to close sharp at 10pm. One day I was five minutes when policemen came to my shop and broke the light bulb. If they find vehicles lying unattended in the road, cops start deflating tyres,” said Salim Khan, another shopkeeper.
Curbs on egg sale have caused inconvenience to residents. “I mostly come to Jaipur on weekends and it’s my habit to apply eggs on hair for nourishment,” said Shruti Jain.
“I belong to a vegetarian family and bringing home eggs is difficult, but I manage it in the name of hair care. When my father told me about the ban, I thought he was making an excuse so that I avoid using eggs but it turned out to be true.”
Bhomia said police told the vendors’ association that there were no restrictions in egg sale in central areas of the locality. When HT told him that egg stalls have disappeared from Vidhyadhar Nagar, he said, “I will look into the matter .”