Rautahat, March 5 Rautahat Police have launched a crackdown on illegal taverns in the village areas of the district. Police teams raided 48 illegal taverns and seized thousands of litres of hooch along with raw materials in the last two days. District Police Office, Rautahat said the illegal taverns in Sangrampur, Pothiyahi, Mathiya, Tikuliya, Jingdawa Belbichhawa, Bankul, Gangapipariya, Bairiya village development committees and other places of Gaur Municipality have been closed down. It is said the police were not been able to reach the villages during the Madhes agitation as they were deployed in city areas. As a result, illegal taverns mushroomed in these villages. Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Pokhrel at the District Police Office, Rautahat, said the police team launched the crackdown after the situation returned to normal in the district. He said the police launched the campaign as consumption of alcohol was behind the rise in criminal activities in the district. DSP Pokhrel further said that they had to close down the taverns as criminal activities like rape, robbery, domestic violence increased in the district. “We will close down all the illegal taverns in the district,” he assured. DSP Pokhrel said that security has been beefed up in the district in view of the upcoming Holi festival.