With the death of one more person on Saturday, the death toll in Uttar Pradesh hooch tragedy has climbed to 70.
The victim died at a hospital in Kushinagar.
Report quoting official sources from Saharanpur said that postmortem of 11 bodies has been carried out while family members of seven others performed the last rites without informing the authorities.
The incident came to light on Friday morning after five deaths were reported in Saharanpur’s Umahi village and 19 people were hospitalised in serious condition. Later, 13 others succumbed.
Locals said that they had consumed spurious liquor. Many were taken ill and are undergoing treatment at various hospitals. The condition of the other admitted remain critical, a doctor said.
Swinging into action, the district administration and local police have begun investigation, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who died and Rs 50,000 for those undergoing treatment.
The authorities have suspended more than 20 excise and policemen in both the Saharanpur and Kushinagar district besides the district excise officers of both the districts have also been put under suspension.
The Chief Minister has ordered departmental action against district excise officers of Kushinagar and Saharanpur from where deaths have been reported. He has ordered a 15-day joint drive by excise and police officials against those involved in the spurious liquor trade.
A total of 11 people were killed in a similar tragedy in east UP’s Kushinagar, prompting district administration to suspend nine officials, including local SHO and excise inspector. A case was filed in this connection and one person was arrested. The villagers had consumed spurious liquor during Mauni Amavasya mela.(UNI)
