BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Tuesday knocked at the door of Odisha Human Rights Commission seeking action against bootleggers and officials responsible for sale of spurious liquor which had led to death of 12 persons in Chandbali Assembly segment of Bhadrak district about two months back.

A delegation of the saffron party, led by senior BJP leader and former minister Manmohan Samal, submitted a memorandum to the Commission alleging that the law enforcing authorities of the district are not keen to find out the culprits as a close associate of the local BJD MLA is involved illicit liquor trade in the area. 

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The district police had stopped pursuing the case after arrest of one person in the connection with liquor tragedy.

Even after two months of the incident, police is yet to trace the vendors of spurious liquor and officials providing protection to these bootleggers, Samal said.

Since a close associate of Chandbali MLA Byomakesh Ray is in the business of bootlegging, local police is not showing interest to investigate the case, he added.

Even as the State Government had announced ex gratia of Rs 50,000 each to the families of the deceased, the BJP leader said some of the affected families are yet to receive the payment. 

Alleging that spurious liquor was distributed 48 hours before the last phase of election, Samal said the victims are all supporters of the ruling party. 

Around 80 persons who received various injuries due to consumption of liquor have not received any compensation for their medical treatment. 

The BJP further complained that the people who had lost their land to steel project proposed by Essar Steel at Champua in Keonjhar district are still awaiting compensation under Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy announced by the state government.