Odisha: Two killed in hooch tragedy in Ganjam; excise officials arrest seven

At least 17 people from the Chikiti area were admitted to different hospitals in Ganjam on Monday after allegedly drinking country liquor sold near Moundpur, said officials

Published on: Aug 21, 2024, 19:09:14 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneshwar: A 60-year-old man and a 34-year-old man were killed allegedly after consuming spurious liquor in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Wednesday morning, officials aware of the matter said.

At least 17 people from the Chikiti area were admitted to different hospitals in Ganjam on Monday after allegedly drinking country liquor sold near Moundpur, said officials.

Officials said that while of the 17 succumbed on Wednesday, the condition of two others remains critical, and they have been kept under observation in the ICU.

Family members of the victims claimed that the liquor was illicitly brewed in a forest near Bhalughai and sold in the nearby areas.

Ganjam district collector Dibyajyoti Parida, who visited the patients, said that the liquor is likely to have been laced with some spurious substances.

State excise commissioner Narasingha Bhol, who visited the affected area, said liquor samples have been collected for laboratory testing.

“A joint action team comprising police and excise officials will be formed to intensify raids on illegal liquor operations in the district,” Bhol said, adding that they have arrested seven people and seized about 55 litres of country liquor.

Meanwhile, the state legislative assembly was adjourned twice on Wednesday, with opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLAs rushing to the well of the House, demanding a Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) probe into the hooch incident.

The BJD leaders said it will send a fact-finding team that will visit Chikiti and submit a report to Naveen Patnaik.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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