Thirteen persons died after they consumed hooch which was offered them at cheaper price in Malihabad on Monday. Among the dead are two from Banthra and five from Unnao districts. The victims of Banthra and Unnao had come to the village to see their relatives and had consumed the spurious liquor on Sunday night. The victims consumed the liquor while watching a village level cricket tournament being played in the village. People from neighbouring districts also had assembled at this occasion.
Above two dozen fell critically ill and under treatment at different hospitals including, Community Health Centers of Malihabad, Mall and Trauma Centre of KGMU. The incident came to light when some of them complained of vomiting and dizziness and were rushed to local hospital
for treatment.
High death toll rocked the state capital with senior police officials and excise official are camping in the area to take stock of the situation. An excise inspector, a head constable and five constables of excise department were put under suspension. On the other hand, the police suspended Circle Officer, Malihabad, Inspector Malihabad, a beat incharge and three constables for laxity in duty.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh to each of the family of the deceased. Those died due to consumption of spurious liquor were identified as Mangnu (45) and his brother Siddheshwar (30) of Khadta village, Siyaram (68), Badai (26), both of Dalti village, Kishanpal (50), Shivram (45) of Ataura village, Raju (30) of Khadta village of Malihabad and Nankau (25) of Rai Bareilly district.
Two persons of Banthra police station area identified as Sripal (40) and Nand Kishor (50) also died of consuming the spurious liquor from the same shop in Malihabad.
Five persons of different villages of Unnao also died after they consumed the same batch of liquor. All the deceased had gone to the Datli village of Malihabad to see their relatives and had consumed the hooch on previous night. Those died were identified as Sagar (35), Sanehi (30), Raghunandan (45), Kishan Kumar (30) and Santosh aka Satish (28). The victims died during treatment at a government hospital in Unnao and at Trauma Centre of KGMU in lucknow. On information, IG lucknow and DIG lucknow range rushed to the spot to supervise the investigation of the case. Other police officials accompanied the visiting team of top brass of UP police at the time of inspection.
The police recovered 50 liter of hooch from a manufacturing unit at the house of Jugnu who was arrested later. The police also are searching Jugnu’s aides named as Jagdish, Phoolchanda, Buhupendra and a woman identified as Pusha in this connection.The victims had consumed the liquor of Sunday night to beat the cold which had gripped the city for last couple of days. Sources in police department said Jugnu announced an offer of sale of the hooch at low price. “The hooch was being offered to villagers at a cost of Rs 8 or Rs 10 per quarter (200 ml). This led the villagers to vie one another and they drank the hooch in a celebrating way,” the sources said.
The police, however, was tight lipped when asked for how long the illegal hooch manufacturing unit was being run in Malihabad. The police could tell names of nine persons who fell ill seriously after consuming the liquor. Those fell ill have been identified as Sajiwan (50), Raj Kumar (40), Bhaiyalal (50), Deen Dayal (38), Rajendra (40), Sukru (30), Nirmal (35), Ram Jeewan (50) and Mewalal. All the deceased and the victims who fell ill in the mishap are relatives, brothers or of same family members. The police had registered a case in this connection against the above named persons. The bodies had been sent or post-mortem and further investigations of the case are on. The case was registered at the complaint of gram Pradhan Ram Murti. Excise inspector Vani Vinayak Mihsra, head constable, Shyam Narayan
Mishra and constables Rajnish Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar Agnihotri, Vinod Kumar Maurya, Sita and Suman Devi were suspended with immediate effect.