3 die after consuming excessive liquor distributed by candidates

MEERUT: Three persons died after consuming liquor in excess on Tuesday in village Chaprawat of Gulaothi area in district Bulandshahar. The liquor was allegedly distributed by three candidates who were contesting for the post of village head in the ongoing panchayat elections.

Police have arrested six persons, including two candidates, after registering a case against them on the complaint of the family member of a deceased. “We have registered a case against three candidates who allegedly distributed the liquor,” said Namrata Srivastav, circle officer of Sikanderabad area.

Srivastav said that a liquor shop can sell maximum five bottles of 250 ml liquor to one person during election but the village’s two liquor shops sold 3 boxes of bottles to candidates who distributed them among villagers to seek their votes.

Gopal, 35, Amzad, 26, and Lilu, 45 of the village consumed the liquor along with two other villagers on Tuesday. All three were taken to hospital after their condition deteriorated but declared dead by the doctors.

Circle officer said two persons who consumed liquor with these three were found fine during medical examination and initial investigation reveals that three persons died due to excessive consumption of liquor which they received free.

She said that two candidates for Pradhan Bobby and Manoj were arrested and raids are being conducted for another named Pradhan candidate who is still at large. Two salesmen of the liquor shops and a middleman who did a deal for candidates to procure liquor have also been arrested. DM of Bulandshahar Ravindra Kumar also visited the village on Wednesday and enquired about the incident.

Meanwhile, Meerut police had busted a gang on Tuesday whose members were supplying liquor to candidates to distribute in village to influence voters in their favour.