Capt increases ex gratia to ₹5 lakh as toll reaches 121
Says perpetrators of the heinous crime will not be spared at any cost
TARN TARAN: Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh met family members of the victims of Punjab’s worst hooch tragedy on Friday and announced an increase in ex gratia relief from ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh for each of victim’s next of kin.
Accompanied by state Congress president Sunil Jakhar, chief principal secretary Suresh Kumar and director general of police Dinkar Gupta, Capt Amarinder Singh interacted with family members of the hooch victims at Tarn Taran’s Sri Guru Arjan Dev Sports Stadium while maintaining social distancing in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was his first field visit since the coronavirus outbreak.
The chief minister said that perpetrators of this heinous crime would not be spared at any cost and strict action would be taken.
He announced that those victims who had lost their sight in the tragedy would also get financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh.
Handing over a cheque for Rs 2.92 crore for the 92 victim families of Tarn Taran district to the deputy commissioner, the chief minister said that anyone however affluent but responsible for this crime would not be spared.
He said the toll in the tragedy has risen to 121 with 92 deaths in Tarn Taran, 14 in Amritsar district and 15 in Batala.
‘NO LENIENCY FOR UNPARDONABLE ACT’
Describing the deaths as murder, he said, “The perpetrators deserve no leniency since this is a man-made tragedy. To ensure the culprits get exemplary punishment, special prosecution teams will be deputed to pursue the cases and the properties of those responsible for this unpardonable act will be confiscated.”
He reiterated his government’s commitment to stand by the victim families in this hour of grief by extending a helping hand in providing jobs, education and other social security benefits to them.
In his address, Sunil Jakhar said that this tragedy was the outcome of criminal negligence and merits exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of this crime.
Among those present were Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha MP Jasbir Singh Gill and mining minister Sukhbinder Sarkaria.
Workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal protested against the state government alleging a political-mafia nexus. They were to protest outside the stadium but were stopped a kilometre away at by the police. The protesters demanded action against Congress MLAS representing constituencies from where the hooch deaths were reported.
WERE NOT ALLOWED TO MEET: 20 FAMILIES
TARN TARAN: Family members of 20 of the 121 victims of Punjab’s hooch tragedy on Friday alleged that police did not allow them to enter Sri Guru Arjan Dev Sports Stadium in Tarn Taran, where Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh had come to share their grief.
Of the 121 people who died after consuming illicit liquor since July 29, 92 are from Tarn Taran and its adjoining villages. The family members of victims from Kang, Muglani and Sangha villages and Tarn Taran town said the police had played with their sentiments by keeping them waiting outside the stadium.
“I was called by the administration. I was told that I would be taken to the event from the municipal council (MC) office. When I reached there at 8.30am, officials asked me to go to the stadium. I reached at 9am but the police didn’t allow me in,” said Manjit Kaur, 55, of Railway Road, Tarn Taran.