KEY ACCUSED IN ALIGARH HOOCH CASE ARRESTED

AGRA: The key accused in the last month’s Aligarh hooch tragedy was nabbed in the early hours of Sunday, police said.

Rishi Sharma, who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest, was arrested near the Bulandshahr border in western UP, Aligarh SSP Kalanidhi Naithani said on Sunday.

“There was a reward of Rs 1 lakh on Rishi Sharma. He had been absconding despite police raids in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over the past ten days. Police had monitored 500 call details and about 100 informers were activated, besides six police teams constituted to nab Rishi Sharma,” said Naithani.

“The major arrests in this hooch tragedy have been completed. We have already arrested Vipin Yadav who was carrying reward of Rs 50,000, Anil Chaudhary and his brother-inlaw Neeraj Chaudhary (rewards of Rs 25,000 each), Munish Sharma (brother of Rishi Sharma) carrying reward of Rs. 25,000 and Shiv Kumar,” he said.

“We have lodged 17 cases in different police stations of Aligarh and 61 have been arrested. Property worth Rs 5 crore belonging to this syndicate has been demolished by the Aligarh administration and more properties worth Rs 100 crore have been identified for further action,” said Naithani.

Rishi Sharma allegedly had connections with a party in the state and he was active politically in the area.

Initially, a reward of Rs 50,000 was declared on Rishi Sharma, which was enhanced to Rs 75,000 and then to Rs 1 lakh recently by additional director general (ADG) of police (Agra Zone) Rajeev Krishna. His wife, son, two brothers and a nephew were arrested in the last five days.

Police were tipped off on Saturday night that Sharma would be travelling to Bulandshshar in an SUV. He was nabbed in his vehicle, which was carrying a large amount of spurious liquor, police said.

Over 100 people have died cumulatively in the hooch tragedy, which began claiming lives since May 28. The deaths were reported from all over Aligarh as spurious liquor was dumped in canals and remote areas by those possessing it after the police began a crackdown. There has been no day when deaths have not been reported since May 28. Five people died on Saturday.

Public announcements were being made in Aligarh district not to consume this spurious country liquor of a particular brand. Bottles of liquor were withdrawn from vends all over Aligarh and tetra-packs were provided as replacement to rule out adulteration. The irrigation department was asked to stop the flow of water in the Upper Ganga canal to search for the liquor bottles dumped there and police officials of nearby districts of Hathras, Mathura and Etah were alerted.

A magisterial inquiry has already been ordered and action taken against senior excise department officials, beside police personnel. Most of those who died after consuming spurious liquor were labourers of brick kilns who found unclaimed liquor bottles in the canals of Aligarh district.