The death toll in the hooch tragedy in Paharpur village of Maharajganj Kotwali area in Rae Bareli climbed to almost a dozen, even as eight police and excise officials were suspended and a probe was ordered in the matter.
District Magistrate of Rae Bareli, Vaibhav Srivastava, said that there was a programme in Paharpur village on January 25, in which some people drank alcohol after which several people got sick. As per reports, more than 15 people were ill after drinking alcohol and most were undergoing treatment in District Hospital, Rae Bareli.
According to the villagers, some locals drank liquor bought from a Paharpur liquor contractor but soon their condition started deteriorating, after which every affected person was taken to the community health centre at Maharajganj late in the night.
Residents of Paharpur village identified as Saroj (40), Ramsumer (50), Sukhrani (45), Bansi (45), Pankaj Singh, Chandrapal, Kasim, Rambabu, Bachai and Kallu died in the CHC.
However, Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Ranjan Kumar confirmed the death of only six people on Wednesday. He said that the villagers said that they had bought liquor from a government shop to consume it. He said that some other people who fell ill after drinking liquor were admitted to the local community health centre.
Kumar said that a case was registered against the licensed liquor shopkeeper and liquor samples were collected and an investigation had started. After the tragedy, the excise inspector and the shop staff had been found prima facie guilty and action would be taken against them, he added.
IG, Lucknow Range, Laxmi Singh also reached the village to take stock of the situation. Authorities have ordered the suspension of eight officers, including five policemen of Rae Bareli and three officers of the Excise department.
Additional Chief Secretary (Excise) Sanjay R Bhoosreddy said that taking cognisance of the incident, Narayan Kumar Kushwaha, in-charge of Maharajganj police station, Raj Kumar in-charge of police outpost, Rae Bareli police constables Ratnesh Kumar Rai, Brajesh Kumar Yadav and Shivnarayan Pal were suspended. He said that Rae Bareli Sub-Excise Officer Rajeshwar Maurya, Excise Inspector Ajay Kumar and excise constable Dhirendra Srivastava were also suspended after the incident.
Bhoosreddy said that an FIR would also be registered against those involved in the incident under sections of 272 (adulteration in food and drink), 273 (sale of harmful food and drink), of the Excise Act and Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
