Death toll rises to six; five arrested, four cops suspended

LUCKNOW : The toll in Ambedkar Nagar hooch tragedy rose to six with one more death reported on Wednesday even as five persons were arrested and four cops suspended in this connection, said a senior police official.

The four police personnel-in-charge of Jaitpur police station Pandit Tripathi, sub-inspector Kailash Singh Yadav, head constable Gulab Chand and constable Rahul Gupta-- have been placed under suspension and a departmental inquiry initiated against them for dereliction of duty, said Ambedkar Nagar superintendent of police (SP) Alok Priyadarsh.

To note, five people, including two brothers-- Mahesh Chauhan and Jaisraj Chauhan-- died after consuming spurious liquor in Singhora Makhdumpur village under Jaitpur police station limits. While four deaths were reported on Monday one each succumbed during treatment on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The SP said 12 persons in a marriage party had taken ill after consuming the spurious liquor purchased from Mittupur village in adjoining Azamgarh district. They were admitted to a local hospital, where five of them died. Three were still undergoing treatment and four others have been discharged.

He said some other deaths in the area were being incorrectly attributed to the hooch tragedy.

The SP added the police searched every house in the village for country made liquor in presence of district magistrate Samuel Paul.

The SP said a country made liquor shop owner was among the five people arrested in the case from Azamgarh. He was found to be selling liquor illegally despite the corona curfew in the state since April 30.

“Those arrested have been booked for violating the state order, epidemic act, excise act as well as causing death due to negligence,” the SP said. The Azamgarh district administration, however, said no deaths have been reported in the district due to spurious liquor and they were cooperating with the Ambedkar Nagar police in the probe.