Khalilpur residents threaten election boycott over liquor outlet in Assam's Dhubri

Protests against the opening of an Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) “OFF” retail outlet in Khalilpur, Dhubri, escalated sharply on January 7, with residents threatening to boycott the 2026 Assembly elections if the shop is not shut down permanently.

For the third straight day, locals from Ramakrishna Mission Road blocked traffic, burned tyres and formed a human chain, demanding immediate closure of the outlet. Police intervened to douse the fires and prevent further escalation as tension spread through the area.

Khalilpur is a densely populated residential zone with several schools and private medical facilities, and lies close to the Dhubri Medical College and Hospital. Protesters argued that the shop’s location poses risks to public safety and violates norms governing liquor sales near educational and religious institutions.

Niranjan Kumar Das, a resident spearheading the agitation, warned the district administration of political consequences. “If the authorities fail to shut this liquor shop immediately, the people of Khalilpur will officially boycott the 2026 Assembly elections. We will not vote for a government that ignores the safety of our neighbourhood,” he said.

Residents have sought the intervention of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, claiming repeated representations to local authorities have yielded no response. The protest took a sharper turn on Wednesday with allegations over the ownership of the licence.

While the licence is officially in the name of Shambhu Barman, protesters alleged that Kripa Sindhu Sarkar, a businessman from Satrasal, is the real operator of the outlet. Demonstrators displayed Sarkar’s photographs and demanded that he withdraw his business interests from Khalilpur.

Protest leaders warned of a wider agitation, including blocking major highways in Dhubri, if their demands are not met within 24 hours. They insist the outlet breaches the mandatory 100-metre distance rule from schools and religious sites, endangering students and devotees.

Questions have also been raised over how the district administration and the Excise Department cleared the outlet in what residents describe as a sensitive zone. As the agitation moves into its fourth day on January 8, pressure is mounting on the Dhubri Excise Department and the district administration to review the permit or face intensified protests.