Adilabad: As Telangana’s local body elections gather momentum, rural pockets of the erstwhile Adilabad district are witnessing a sharp spike in unauthorised liquor outlets, widely known as belt shops.

These makeshift stores—already a persistent presence in many villages—have expanded rapidly in recent weeks, allegedly driven by political efforts to woo voters with alcohol.

In the absence of licensed wine shops in most villages, many residents rely on these illegal outlets, where liquor is sold openly at prices roughly 20 percent higher than the MRP.

Operators reportedly source their stock covertly from authorised stores and are believed to pay regular kickbacks to evade police action. While the government sees a rise in official liquor sales, the illegal network continues to flourish at

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