Two persons, who were arrested by the Excise sleuths on charges of trafficking illicit liquor, attacked the officials in Koyilandy on Friday. A portion of the  ear of an assistant Excise inspector was bitten off, allegedly, by the accused during the attack.

According to the officials, K Satheesan, the Excise official whose ear was bitten off, was admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

Acting on a tip-off that a gang was transporting Indian-made Foreign Liquor to Kozhikode from Mahe, the Excise Enforcement and Anti-Narcotic Special Squad conducted a vehicle check near Pisharikavu temple at Kollam near Koyilandy on Friday morning and arrested K K Ranjith, 41, and C P Prakashan, 42, both hailingfrom Azhiyur, who were bringing 240 bottles of brandy, worth `20,000, to Kozhikode in an autorickshaw.

Meanwhile, the arrested persons entered into a verbal duel with the nine-memberExcise squad demanding their release and attempted to escape.

However, the officials foiled their bid. In the process, a provoked Ranjith bit off the left ear of Satheesan, according to the officials. Excise Assistant Commissioner P K Suresh said that the duo were part of a gang which supplied liquor from Mahe to customers across the district. A case has been charged against the accused under the Abkari Act and section 307 of the IPC.

They will be produced before the JFCM Court, Koyilandy. According to the Medical College Hospital authorities, a plastic surgery has been prescribed to the injured officer. He underwent a detailed check-up by the ENT specialists with the hospital.