With toll in spurious liquor tragedy in Etah and Farrukhabad districts officially climbed to 40 while over two dozen people still under treatment and battling for life, authorities have started house-to-house search operation to flush out the stored hooch in Aliganj police station area of the district on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the death toll reached to 40 after six more people died during treatment at the hospital on Monday night. Until now, 30 people have died in Etah while 10 others died at different hospitals in Farrukhabad. As per an unofficial claim, the death toll had crossed 60.
The district administration was sent in jittery when 15 more people having complaints of nausea allegedly after consuming hooch were admitted to the hospital on Monday night. The officials then decided to go for a house-to-house search to recover hooch that the people had stored at their houses.
The operation was launched in the entire Aliganj area of Etah. The police searched all houses in Tapua, Khargolia and Dahelahiput villages and destroyed several thousand litres of hooch stored by the people in sachet and other containers.
More than 100 people are still admitted to different hospitals, in Etah, Farrukhabad, Saifai, Agra while some of the villagers were sent to hospitals in New Delhi.
The condition of over two dozen people admitted in various hospitals in Etah and Saifai, is said to be critical. Earlier, the police had arrested main accused Shreepal and the state government had suspended 11 officials from excise department and some policemen following the dereliction of duty. A compensation of Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia to the family of each deceased was announced by the administration. Those admitted to the hospital will get a compensation of Rs 50,000 each.
Meanwhile, a five member team of the UP Congress is scheduled to visit Etah to probe into the incident. On Monday, a seven member BJP team had visited the place. Both the Congress and BJP had demanded a judicial probe into the incident.