CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, May 13:
At least 21 people, mostly daily wagers, died and 10 others were hospitalised after allegedly drinking spurious liquor in Punjab’s Amritsar district, officials said today.
Ten people, including the alleged kingpin, were arrested while Deputy Superintendent of Police (Majitha) Amolak Singh and Station House Officer of Majitha police station Avtar Singh were suspended for negligence, police said.
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The AAP Government drew flak for the tragedy, with the opposition demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The State Government said most of the culprits have been arrested and vowed to ensure the strictest punishment for them.
“These are not deaths, these are murders,” said Chief Minister Mann, who visited the affected villages and met the families of the victims.
A police probe revealed that methanol– a chemical used in industrial products — was procured in bulk online to prepare the toxic brew.
Methanol is a light, colourless organic chemical compound which is poisonous when ingested and is illegally added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the normal consumable alcohol.
Two separate cases at police stations Majitha and Kathunangal in Amritsar Rural have been registered under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Excise Act and the SC/ST Act.
The deaths were reported in Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Talwandi Khumman, Karnala, Bhangwan and Therewal villages on Monday night, said officials.
Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said most of the victims were daily wagers.
Villagers consoled the distraught mother and daughter of Tasbeer Singh, a resident of Marari Kalan and the sole breadwinner of the family, who died after consuming spurious liquor.
Romy, 38, a father of three, was among the victims. “His eldest daughter is just eight years old. They don’t have a house and his wife is illiterate. Who will take care of them? The Government has assured financial assistance, but more should be done,” said Romy’s cousin Jacky.
“Romy got diarrhoea after having a drink on Tuesday morning and soon his body stiffened. It was all over before we could take him to hospital,” he said, recalling the ordeal.
Gulshan of Karnala village lost his 26-year-old brother Kaka in the tragedy.
“He worked as a driver and has two toddlers. He drank alcohol that he got from the village last night. He started vomiting this morning and his condition deteriorated. We could not do anything,” he said.
Davinder Singh, who was hospitalised, said he had taken an alcohol pouch as usual but felt dizzy after drinking it.
The Amritsar district administration deployed medical teams who went door-to-door in the affected villages to check on people who might have consumed spurious liquor.
Officials said 21 people have died while 10 have been hospitalised with complications.
Punjab Chief Minister Mann said those responsible for the deaths of innocent people in the villages in Majitha would not be spared.(PTI)
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