ROHTAK/KARNAL: Barely three months after nearly 130 people were killed due to consumption of spurious liquor in Punjab districts this August, a similar tragedy has unfolded in Sonipat and Panipat districts of Haryana and the toll has been put at 37 for now.
At least 30 deaths are being linked to the hooch tragedy in Sonipat district, where byelection to Baroda assembly constituency was held on November 3. In neighbouring Panipat, seven deaths have already been reported in the last two days.
Sonipat DSP Ravinder Rao said on Thursday that the police have arrested seven persons, including one woman for the deaths most likely caused by consumption of spurious liquor. Sonipat SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa also placed Mohana SHO Sri Bhagwan under suspension for dereliction in duty on the same day. The police recovered Rs 14 lakh from the arrested persons and seven FIRs have been registered against them in different police stations of the district.
Hooch tragedy: Four bodies sent for post-mortem
The deaths now being linked to the hooch tragedy were first reported on Monday, November 2, but these initially unconfirmed reports were rubbished by the Sonipat police at the time. Locals in three Sonipat colonies cremated bodies of likely victims without informing the police or local administration, fearing action as the deceased had consumed illicit liquor. It was only after the number of these suspicious deaths increased to 20 and Sonipat deputy commissioner Shyam Lal Poonia met one of the victims admitted to a private hospital that the police swung into action.
The Sonipat police on Wednesday sent four bodies for post-mortem to establish the truth behind the hooch tragedy.
The three colonies from where 30 deaths have been reported fall under 2km radius of the police station on Gohana road in Sonipat. All people whose deaths have been linked to the hooch tragedy belonged to lower middle class who drank spurious liquor freely available in their neighborhood as it cost them only Rs 10-15, way cheaper than vend liquor.
The teams of Haryana excise department and the chief minister’s flying squad joined Sonipat police to bust two storing and manufacturing factories at two raids at Tatarpur village and Kharkhodda under Mohana police station. Large quantities of material to concoct spurious liquor — two drums of poisonous liquor, 254 bottles, a thermometer, chemical, sealing machine, water pump, three cans, three empty drums, four thousand bottle caps, five syringes and white pipes — was seized during raids. These illegal factories manufacturing spurious liquor have been operating for the last one decade, according to reports. Sources said the factories were using chemical-laced substances to make spurious liquor.
Seven suspicious deaths in three Panipat villages — Dhansoli, Nangla Paar, and Rana Majra — have been reported in the last two days. Three people are also admitted to different private hospitals in the district. The police have arrested a woman of Dhansoli village in this connection.
Bodies of the three deceased were cremated by their family members on Wednesday and the police have sent bodies of the remaining four for postmortem.
Panipat SP Manisha Chaudhary has set up a special investigation team (SIT) led by DSP (crime) Rajesh Phogat to probe the case. In the preliminary investigation, it was found that the seven persons had died due to consumption of spurious liquor. The actual cause of death would be ascertained in the postmortem and viscera report.