10 DIE CONSUMING LIQUOR, POLICE SAY DEATH DUE TO INFECTION

MEERUT: At least 10 people died in Sadharanpur Khurd village of Inchauli area in the past 72 hours though the villagers and the police differed over the cause of death.

The kin of the deceased claimed they died after consuming liquor distributed by two candidates who contested for post of pradhan (village head) during the panchayat elections.

Police claimed that the deaths took place due to Covid-19 infection or something similar.

The two candidates have since been arrested though the police stuck to its theory that the deaths weren’t caused by liquor consumption.

SP (rural) Keshav Mishra said that a case has been registered on the complaint of family members and two candidates who were contesting for post of pradhan have been arrested for allegedly distributing liquor. The police official said the panchayat poll candidates had admitted that they bought liquor from government liquor shop. He however denied that the death was caused by consuming liquor.

“Heart attack, problem in lungs and Corona infection were behind the deaths of villagers,” he said.

However, villagers said that the two candidates distributed liquor in the village on April 25 (polling took place on April 26) and ever since 10 villagers who consumed liquor had died.

The SP (rural) said that villagers had conducted cremations before police teams reached the village.