The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to the family members of the deceased in Barabanki hooch tragedy.
At least ten people died and over 20 others rushed to hospital after they consumed spurious liquor in Ramnagar area of the district on Monday night.
A high-level probe has been ordered to find out any ‘political ‘ conspiracy behind the incident as it happened just after the Lok Sabha polls.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, while announcing the compensation in the state cabinet meeting, formed a three-member committee comprising Divisional commissioner Ayodhya, Commissioner excise and IG Ayodhya, to probe into the matter and submits its report within 48 hours.
Among the dead are four members of a family– a man and his three sons.
State government spokesperson Sidharthnath Singh told reporters in Lucknow that the reference of the probe would be to fix the responsibility on the guilty and recommend action against them.
“The probe team will also investigate whether there is any political conspiracy behind the incident as it occurred just after the Lok Sabha polls,” he said while claiming that in the past hooch incidents of Hapur and Azamgarh were the fallout of political conspiracy.
The spokesperson, who is also the state health minister, also said that 20 people were rushed to Lucknow for treatment in which 16 have been admitted in KGMU and put on dialysis.
The minister has confirmed six deaths so far but did not rule out possibility of increase in the toll.
However, the fatalities could be more as several families performed the last rites without informing police and going for post-mortem.
The incident was reported on Monday night in Raniganj area of Ramnagar. All the deceased had purchased country made liquor from one shop of Danveer Singh. The people who consumed the liquor complained of vomiting and other problems and were rushed to the primary health centres and later shifted to the district hospital.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajay Kumar Sahani has confirmed six deaths so far but did not rule out more deaths. District Magistate Udaybhan Tripathi has also rushed to the village to inquire about the incident.
The deceased have been identified as– Chote Lal (62), his three sons Ramesh (35), Sonu (25) and Mukesh (28). Other deceased are Rajesh (30), Ramesh Kumar and Suryabhan (27), Rajendra Verma (45), Gautam (41) and Mahendra (38).
Meanwhile, district excise officer Shiv Narain Dubey, along with police Inspector Ramnagar Rajesh Kumar and CO Pawan Gautam along with 10 others including 2 excise inspector and three constables, have been suspended. Orders have been issued to arrest the owner of the liquor outlet.
Barabanki, adjoining the state capital, is notorious for spurious liquor and in January 2018, 11 people have died in the same Ramnagar locality.
