3 die after consumption of spurious liquor in Banthra

DM ORDERED A MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY INTO THE DEATHS AND REGISTRATION OF FIRS AGAINST PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE ILLEGAL SALE AND PURCHASE OF LIQUOR

Three people died early on Friday and two others were admitted to hospital in a critical condition after the consumption of spurious liquor on the city outskirts, senior Lucknow police officials said.

The officials said the deaths were reported from Rasoolnagar and Latifnagar villages under the Banthra police station limits on the Lucknow-Unnao border.

Taking a serious note of the incident, Lucknow district magistrate Abhishek Prakash ordered a magisterial inquiry into the deaths. He also ordered registration of FIRs against people involved in the illegal sale and purchase of liquor.

Lucknow commissioner of police (CP) Sujeet Pandey said a Latifnagar resident, Nanhkau, was taken into custody as those who died or became critically ill had purchased the liquor from him. He said Nanhkau used to buy country made liquor from government-allotted shops in the Banthra town area and later resell it from his house after regular sale from the liquor shops ended by 10pm.

Pandey said the deceased were identified as Sundar Lal, 32, and Mohammed Aneez, of Rasoolnagar and Rajkumar, 35, of Latifnagar. The condition of two others, identified as Umesh Kumar and Hafiz, was critical.

Asking not to be named, a police personnel of the Banthra police station said the condition of Sundar Lal, Mohammed Aneez and Rajkumar had started deteriorating after they consumed liquor that they purchased from Nanhkau on Wednesday night. He said their family members rushed them to hospital on Thursday evening

where they died after a few hours of treatment.

Another police official privy to the investigation said it was suspected that Nanhkau used to mix chemicals with the country made liquor to increase the quantity.

He said a salesman of one of the government allotted country made liquor shops of Banthra also had been taken into custody for further interrogation. The salesman was suspected to have been involved in the illegal sale and purchase of country made liquor to Nanhkau and helping him stock it illegally, the officer added.

The official said the country made liquor shops of the entire area had been asked to close as excise department teams were collecting samples from all such outlets.

He said samples were also collected from liquor bottles found at Nanhkau’s house.