Women and residents of Vadakkuveli near Keezhvelur in Nagapattinam district staged a protest on Wednesday demanding the removal of a TASMAC outlet functioning in the area.

The protesters gathered in front of TASMAC shop number 643 and raised slogans urging the authorities to close the outlet, alleging that it caused inconvenience to women, students and the general public as it was located along a busy main road.

The protest comes in the wake of the State government’s recent announcement on closing liquor outlets situated near places of worship, educational institutions and other public spaces.

Residents said they had been demanding the removal of the shop for over a decade through protests and petitions submitted to the district administration, but no action had been taken so far.

During the protest, Kilvelur Tahsildar Vedhaiyan held talks with the demonstrators and reportedly assured them that steps would be taken to relocate the outlet within 30 days. However, the protesters refused to accept the assurance and insisted that the shop should remain closed until it was permanently removed from the locality.

Some women raised strong objections during the protest and warned against reopening the outlet. TASMAC employees who arrived to open the shop later left the premises without resuming operations. Police maintained security in the area as tensions prevailed during the agitation.