Varanasi: The death toll in the hooch tragedy
rose to 16 on Thursday after ten more people succumbed, even as the
state government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the
incident, which also left 19 people fighting for life in
various hospitals in the city.
City Commissioner N Ravi Kumar, who ordered the enquiry,
told agency that ADM (City), Atal Kumar Rai, would look into the
incident and file report within seven days.
Meanwhile, the state government announced in the Assembly
that an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh each would be given to the
families of the dead.
Assembly speaker, Sukhadev Rajbhar, told media that the
government would consider making a new tougher law to stop
recurrence of such incidents.
Deputy Inspector General D K Thakur said with 10 more
deaths over night at Soyepur, Hazipur village and Benipur
villages of the district, the toll mounted to 16 while 19
others are undergoing treatment in different hospitals.
Two persons died yesterday in Cholapur area had consumed
the illicit liquor but their postmortem report indicated that
they died of some disease. They had fallen ill on Tuesday
night. The dead included a woman.
The IG said preliminary investigations have revealed that
the victims had purchased pouches of liquor from a man, who
had allegedly brought it form Jharkhand.
While the main accused Gopal and Bhonu Jaiswal were
absconding Bhonu's wife, Ambu Devi, and Rajkumar arrested and
booked under the Gangsters Act.
The DIG said three policemen, including the Lalpur
police post incharge Ram Narayan Ram and two constables Anil
and Kripashankar have been suspended for laxity.
The district magistrate said excise inspector of the
area, Rajesh Singh, and Excise constables Dev Prakash Singh,
Shivprasad Rana and Shashikant Singh have been suspended and
enquiry ordered against them.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010, 23:52