Digapahandi: Excise Department officials Thursday conducted raid on a distillery near Bichhapat village under Sahadev Tikarpada panchayat of Digapahandi block in Ganjam district and seized 22 litres of hooch.
The sleuths have arrested two men – allegedly distillers — in connection with the incident.
The accused have been identified as Nilachala Behera of Bichhapat village and Ranjan Naik of Phasibandha village.
After booking Nilachala in a case of Chikiti excise range office (case no-5/19-20) and Ranjan in a case of Berhampur excise striking force office (case no-13/19-20), both were produced in a Sanakhemundi based court.
They were forwarded to Digapahandi sub-jail as their bail pleas were rejected.
According to sources, the officials conducted the raid acting on a tip-off at a remote place where country liquor was being distilled at about 7:30am.
Apart from the duo and the hooch, several other instruments used in distilling the liquor were seized from the spot.