41 deaths due to illicit liquor between Jan'16 and June'17: UP minister

Lucknow: Forty-one people have died after consuming illicit liquor in Uttar Pradesh between January last year and June 2017, the state government said here today.

State Excise Minister Jai Pratap Singh told the Assembly that after the BJP formed government in Uttar Pradesh, 15,544 FIRs were lodged during various campaigns by enforcement squads and 930 people were arrested between May 22 and June 7.

"During this period, 44,6453 bulk litres of illicit liquor was recovered," he said.

"In UP, 41 people have died due to consumption of illicit liquor between January 2016 and June 2017. Among those who died, 33 were in Etah and rest eight in Farukhabad district," Singh said.

Replying to a query raised during the Question Hour by Apna Dal (Sonelal) legislator R K Verma, the minister said under a special campaign of the department between July 8 and 14, as many as 2,676 FIRs were registered, 55 people were arrested and 57,770 bulk litre of liquor was recovered.

Singh said following the Supreme Court's orders, the state government shifted 8,500 liquor shops and the department suffered loss of about Rs 5,500 crore.

A piquant situation arose when BJP member Ashok Chandel alleged that a liquor shop near the BJP office in Hamirpur could not be shifted.

"I have apprised everyone. The district magistrate and district excise officers have been informed but the shop near BJP office has not been shifted. No one is listening," the legislator claimed.

He however, was assured by the minister that an order has been issued to shift the shop.