››SP LEADERS BEHIND SUCH TRAGEDIES IN PAST: YOGI

GORAKHPUR: Reacting to the large number of hooch deaths in Uttar Pradesh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said Samajwadi Party leaders were found involved in similar tragedies in the past in Azamgarh, Hardoi, Barabanki and Kanpur districts of the state.

If any such conspiracy came to light this time, stern action will be taken against the guilty, he said. “In the past, too, such type of mischievous acts by SP leaders had come to fore. In Azamgarh, Hardoi Kanpur and Barabanki, SP leaders were found to be involved in past hooch tragedies. We can’t deny a conspiracy this time too,” he said. He was replying to reporters’ questions after attending meeting with MPs and MLAs to review preparation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah’s visits on February 23 and 24 to attend a farmers’ conclave in Gorakhpur.

The chief minister added he had spoken to his Uttrakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat and asked for sharing of the details as the spurious liquor was served to natives of Uttar Pradesh in a village of Uttrakhand’s Haridwar, where they had gone to attend a programme. “A spurious liquor racket was being run in Uttrakhand. Therefore, I have spoken to the CM seeking details,” he said.

He said responsibilities of officials had been fixed and ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased have been extended by state government.

Besides, Rs 50,000 each was given to those undergoing treatment, he said.