BHOPAL:
The death toll in the hooch tragedy in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district rose to 16 on Thursday after another victim died during treatment, officials said. Thirty-two others, including one who is seriously ill, are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.
Police said 16 of the 30 persons named as accused have been arrested and one has been detained. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.
According to police, the spurious liquor was brewed in Sagar district and was allegedly sold under the label ‘Sagar Gold’, a locally available cheap whisky. Police said empty bottles, labels and material used for brewing liquor were recovered from an illegal manufacturing unit.
Sagar Superintendent of Police Anurag Sujania said Ravi Lakhera, who allegedly belongs to a gang from Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh, was involved in brewing the spurious liquor. Lakhera is absconding, police said.
Authorities have also demolished illegal structures belonging to accused Manish Lodhi, Ashish Sahu and Chandrabhan Singh, according to the police. Manish and Ashish are absconding, while Chandrabhan is in police custody.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered the judicial inquiry after returning from Dubai, with officials saying the probe was intended to ensure an impartial investigation and fix responsibility. He also directed senior IAS officer Dilip Kumar to take charge of the Sagar division and senior IPS officer Irshad Wali to take charge as Inspector General of the Sagar range.
Yadav had earlier said negligence or irregularities in serious cases would not be tolerated at any level.