The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted a single-member judicial commission to probe the deaths caused by spurious liquor in Sagar earlier this month.
Retired high court Justice Vishnu Pratap Singh Chauhan will conduct the probe, a government order issued on Tuesday, said, adding that the commission will investigate the cause and circumstances of the deaths and illnesses caused by illegal liquor.
It will investigate the role and negligence of excise, police and other responsible officers in the area and propose measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Chauhan has been directed to submit the report within three months.
The official toll from the spurious liquor tragedy is 16 though locals in Sagar district’s Banda tehsil claim at least 30 have died so far. Chief medical and health officer (CMHO) of the district, Devesh Pateriya, said officials were waiting for autopsy reports.
Dozens of patients received treatment for impaired vision after drinking the spurious alcohol.
“Of the 102 patients admitted to Bundelkhand Medical College hospital, Sagar, following the Banda incident on September 6, 75 patients suffered from eye-related complications. Medical examinations indicate that consuming methyl alcohol leads to the formation of formic acid in the body, which causes axonal injury (swelling) to the optic nerve; this condition typically resolves within a period of 3 to 6 weeks,” he said.
Initially, 22 affected patients had completely lost their vision. “All affected patients were administered methylprednisolone therapy. Seventeen of them showed rapid improvement and have been discharged from the hospital. Treatment for the remaining five patients continues under the supervision and monitoring of specialists and doctors, and improvement in their health is also expected,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Initially, 22 affected patients had completely lost their vision. “All affected patients were administered methylprednisolone therapy. Seventeen of them showed rapid improvement and have been discharged from the hospital. Treatment for the remaining five patients continues under the supervision and monitoring of specialists and doctors, and improvement in their health is also expected,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read:MP: National Human Rights Commission team meets families of hooch victims in Sagar
Meanwhile, a team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) met the victims’ families on Tuesday and directed the police to take strict action in the matter, PTI reported. The team asked the police to immediately record the statements of the victims’ kin as some of them claimed that it had not yet been done, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo was quoted by PTI as saying.
The prime accused in the liquor case, Ravi Lakhera, was arrested after an encounter with police on Friday. The accused was carrying a ₹30,000 reward.
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Lakhera, who has 25 criminal cases registered against him, was injured in the leg during the exchange of fire and taken to the hospital for treatment.
Sagar superintendent of police (SP) Anurag Sujania said, “Barayatha police received information that Lakhera was hiding near Hanuman Tong Temple along the Banda Barayatha road. Acting swiftly, Banda police station town inspector Anand Singh and Baraytha town inspector Arvind Singh led teams to cordon off the forest area. When confronted, Lakhera opened fire at least three rounds at the police. Officers returned fire, injuring him before arresting him.”
While 19 persons have been arrested so far, at least 30 are absconding, police said.