The hooch tragedy, which rocked the State Capital yesterday, claimed four more persons on Wednesday, taking the toll to 12.
The victims included Arvind Kumar alias Bittu, Amit Kumar Jha, a volleyball coach at Ranchi University, Arvind Thakuri, a JAP-I hawildar, and one other person, Sanjay Kumar, driver by profession living at Peace Road in lalpur. They died allegedly after consuming hooch.
Arvind Kumar, hailing from Irgu Toli under Sukhdeo Nagar police station, died at Seva Sadan Hospital, while Amit Kumar Jha did not wake up on Wednesday after he slept on Tuesday at his residence in the university campus. Both Arvind Thakuri and Sanjay Kumar were undergoing treatment at RIMS.
The post-mortem examination of all the three, except volleyball coach Amit Kumar Jha, was conducted by the medical board constituted by the district administration. The police considered the latter's death as normal.
Eight persons had died on Tuesday. At least five other persons are still admitted in different hospitals in Ranchi, including Vikram Thapa of JAP I who is currently admitted in Santevita Hospital in Ranchi and was said to be recovering.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raghubar Das, during a review meeting with DCs and SPs, directed them to arrest everyone involved in the trade of illicit liquor immediately.
"Such provisions should be inducted in the Excise Bill that the liquor mafias' may not be granted bail by the court,' said Das.
Also, the Excise and Prohibition Department with the help of police also continued its campaign against the illegal liquor and conducted raids at various locations, including the godown of liquor mafia Prahlad Singhania located at Namkum and recovered large number of empty bottles of liquor from there. More than two trucks of articles were used for brewing of liquor. No arrest has been made so far in this regard and intensive search campaign has been launched by the police.
"Things used right from brewing to packaging of liquor have been recovered from the Jorar Basti in Namkum, including more than 500 empty bottles along with a machine used for brewing liquor and rappers of different brands," said DSP Amit Kacchap.
Meanwhile, as a damage control exercise, the Jharkhand police said that it will soon issue a helpline number to check illegal trade of liquor in the State.
"A Helpline number will soon be issued from the State Police on which anyone would be able to give information related to brewing or hoarding of illicit liquor in their areas," said ADGP (Operations) and Jharkhand Police Spokesperson RK Mallick.
"Police stations all over the State were being sensitized to keep a close vigil on the illegal trade of liquor in their areas and take action if any information reaches them in this regard," he added."
“By removing officer in-charge of Doranda and Sukhdeonagar police stations, a clear message has been sent to the police officials that it is their responsibility to check trade of illicit liquor in their areas; they are supposed to gather intelligence and take action against those involved in it," said Mallick.
"They could not get away by saying that they had no information in this regard," he added.