Thrissur: The officials had unearthed a large-scale hooch manufacturing unit, which was functioning surreptitiously at a poultry farm in Vellanchira here. 

Earlier, an investigation revealed that the illicit centre was functioning under the guise of a chicken farm. Former BJP panchayat member and theatre artist Aloor native P.V Lalu (53) and Kattappana native Lawrence (50) were arrested in connection with the case. 

15,000 bottles of liquor and 2500 litres of spirit were seized from this centre. The liquor was kept in a room used for storing chicken feed. There were about 600 chickens on the farm. The accused, Lalu, was elected as a panchayat member representing the BJP in 2015.