Firozabad: An inquiry into the deaths of three people from drinking illicit liquor in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, has exposed the alleged complicity of local police and excise officers.
According to the police, the vigilance department has registered a case against nine members of the two departments “who indirectly allowed the liquor mafia to flourish”.
The excise and police personnel have been booked under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code. The FIR has been filed at the Khairgarh police station, whose former station in-charge Mustaqeem Ali is among the accused.
The other officers named are Kuldeep Singh of the UP Police special operations group, sub-inspector Vijen Singh, Jasnara excise inspector Rajkumar, constables Sanjeev Kumar, Ravindra Kumar, Bhagat Singh, and Nadeem Khan, and head constable Rahul Kumar Yadav.
Agra vigilance inspector Dushyant Tiwari told ThePrint that the local police were well aware of illicit liquor being sold in the area. He also said the three deaths on 17 November were preceded by another one.
In recent incidents, the issue of illicit liquor has been a significant concern, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement in curbing illegal activities.
One Kamlesh Singh had died in Khairgarh but the local police took no action, Tiwari said.
The officer added that local excise officers had also not carried out any search in the area during the government’s special campaign against illicit liquor from 6 to 15 November. This indicated that the excise and police were hand in glove with suppliers, he said.
Tiwari said the special operations group of the police regularly received bribes, and timely action after Kamlesh Singh’s death on Diwali could have saved the others.
Edited by Tikli Basu
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