New Delhi: The death toll in spurious liquor cases reported from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand crossed 90 on Saturday with some more deaths being reported from Meerut and parts of Uttarakhand.
Till now 38 people have died in Saharanpur, 18 in Meerut and 10 people have died in Kushinagar. While in adjoining state of Uttarakhand 26 people were reported dead from Haridwar and Roorkee region.
The worst hit by hooch tragedy was Saharanpur where as of now 47 people have died and 22 are still in a critical state in hospitals. However, district magistrate Saharanpur Alok Pandey has claimed in a press conference on Saturday that only 36 people have died in Saharanpur in different villages.
Also, 11 people died in Meerut while undergoing treatment after their health deteriorated due to consumption of spurious liquor.
In a crackdown by Saharanpur administration, 30 people were arrested in Saharanpur who were involved in hooch business. Also, three inspectors and two constables were suspended by SSP Dinesh Kumar.
On the other hand five more people had died in Kushinagar on Friday, earlier five people had died on Wednesday. District administration Kushinagar had suspended SHO Taryasujan and Excise Inspector after the deaths.
A dealer involved in the business of hooch was also arrested in Saharanpur. Earlier in separate incidents reported from various villages of Saharanpur, 16 people had died after they had allegedly consumed spurious liquor.
Swinging into action, the district administration and local police have begun investigation.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who died and Rs 50,000 for those undergoing treatment. The chief minister has ordered departmental action against district excise officers of Kushinagar and Saharanpur from where deaths have been reported. He has ordered a 15-day joint drive by excise and police officials against those involved in the spurious liquor trade.
"This is an unfortunate incident. Some UP residents bordering one of Uttarakhand villages went there to attend some function where this liquor was distributed. Due to that people in large number died in Uttarakhand and UP. We are investigating it. I have discussed with Uttarakhand CM to get detailed information. Whoever is responsible will not be spared. In the past, such incidents happened in Azamgarh and other places in which some SP leaders were involved," said Yogi Adityanath.
Samajwadi party president Akhilesh Yadav blamed the BJP governments in both the states for the tragedy.
"Due to corruption, the BJP governments in both the states neither tried to stop the flow of adulterated liquor nor placed any effective restraints upon it," said Akhilesh.
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