E-Paper
Death count climbs to 20 in Madhya Pradesh hooch tragedy
According to police, the accused used chemicals to make liquor and sell it to people in villages for a low price.
The number of deaths in the Madhya Pradesh hooch tragedy rose to 20 with six more people reported dead on Tuesday night in Morena district. All these victims who died were hospitalised, said police.
As many as 17 victims are still hospitalised in Morena and Gwalior districts and their condition is stated to be serious, said police.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered shifting of collector and superintendent of police (SP) of Morena district during a meeting held with home minister Narottam Mishra, finance minister Jagdish Devda, chief secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, additional chief secretary (Home) Rajesh Rajora, principal secretary to CM Manish Rastogi and principal secretary, Commercial Tax Deepali Rastogi, as per an official communique.
"Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan issued instructions for shifting of Morena collector and SP and said collectors and SPs will be held responsible in such cases. They should be alert to check recurrence of such incidents. Chief minister also issued instructions for transfer of excise and police department personnel after the stipulated period of their posting", said the official statement.
A sub-divisional officer of police Sujeet Singh Bhadoria was suspended on Wednesday. Earlier, a police station in charge and the district excise officer were placed under suspension by authorities, as per officials.
Inspector general (IG) of police in Chambal region Manoj Kumar said, "A deputy superintendent of police (DySP) has been suspended for dereliction of duty. Police are trying to nab the accused."
According to police, the accused used chemicals to make liquor and sell it to people in villages for a low price. Police recovered a large number of liquor bottles from an agriculture farm where the accused used to make the hooch.
The Opposition Congress has attacked the government over the tragedy and has constituted a six-member committee to visit the victims’ families and submit their report to the party.
MP Congress Committee spokesperson JP Dhanopia said, "The government is trying to shield the officials whose carelessness in checking sale of spurious liquor in the district was responsible for the tragedy."
