ABP NEWS IMPACT: Delhi Govt. orders closure of liquor shops near schools

New Delhi: Hours after ABP News ran a campaign questioning safety in and around Delhi schools pointing fingers at the liquor shops opened at close proximity of school campuses, Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia ordered closure of  liquor shops near schools. The minister has set a rule saying, no liquor shops can operate within 100 meters of a school building, failing to follow the same, and the license of the shop can also get cancelled. The liquor shop owner may also have to face a strict action if the shop is opened at a distance less than 100 meters from the school. As per an investigation done by ABP News, many liquor shops were open right next to school buildings, making it accessible to the school staff like drivers, and cleaners. These liquor shops pose serious threat to the safety of the children studying in the schools. Acts like eve-teasing, stalking and molestation take place outside school premises after people consume liquor. The matter became more serious after gruesome murder of Pradyuman Thakur, who is a class 2 student of Gurugram’s Ryan International School. Pradyuman was found in a pool of blood inside school’s washroom, with his throat slit with a kitchen knife. The incident was followed by arrest of school bus’ conductor, who was present at the spot of crime, allegedly in a drunken state.