Residents celebrated the closure of the outlet, which they said caused public nuisance, by distributing sweets to neighbours and motorists
Before the elections, TVK chief C. Joseph Vijay, during a rally, took a jibe at the charging ₹10 above the maximum retail price (MRP).extra ₹10 charged at TASMAC outlets. Workers at the shops do not dispute the practice, but say it merely offsets irregularities in the system
Across Tamil Nadu, hundreds of liquor outlet employees — salesmen, supervisors, support staff — are staring at uncertainty as they have not yet been given transfer orders
The incident has drawn attention, as local residents and women had staged protests in recent weeks demanding the removal of the liquor outlet, alleging inconvenience to the public
The demand for closure of the outlets comes after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay directed authorities to shut down 717 TASMAC liquor outlets located within 500 metres of places of worship, educational institutions
Employees working at Tasmac outlets in the Madurai region said the government must ensure adequate police deployment in these areas following the closures
Some opposition leaders such as AIADMK leader SP Velumani and VCK MLA Vanniyarasu have even welcomed the move
Of the 717 shops, 276 are located within 500 metre from various places of worship, 186 near educational institutions and 255 near bus terminuses