Chandigarh, Mar 21 (PTI) The death toll due to the suspected consumption of spurious liquor in Punjab’s Sangrur has risen to eight, with three more persons succumbing, officials said on Thursday, as police made another arrest and recovered ethanol and raw material used for making alcohol..
Punjab Finance and Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who is under ire from the opposition over the incident which took place in his Dirba assembly constituency, expressed grief and said the accused will not be spared.
The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have hit out at the AAP government over the Sangrur hooch tragedy.
On Wednesday, police had said five men died after consuming spurious liquor and some were hospitalised.
Three of those hospitalised at Rajindra hospital in Patiala succumbed during treatment, taking the toll to eight, officials said on Thursday.
They further said 12 more persons were undergoing treatment at a hospital. Condemning the incident, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said the Sangrur hooch tragedy was indicative of the state of affairs in Punjab as well as those in Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s home district of Sangrur.
Badal demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
Rejecting the SDM-level probe ordered into the tragedy, Badal said “such a junior officer cannot identify the kingpins behind this illegal trade or indict politicians sheltering them.” Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa criticised Mann over his “failure” to fix responsibility for the hooch tragedy and sought Cheema’s resignation.
“Both CM Bhagwant Mann and Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema have not uttered a single word ever since the incident took place. The entire party has kept mum on the issue. They have not even paid a visit to the families of the deceased people and those who have been hospitalised,” Bajwa said in a statement.
“It shows their insensitivity towards the loss of precious lives,” he added.
Meanwhile, Special Director General of Police Arpit Shukla said they have arrested a fourth person, identified as Patiala-resident Harmanpreet Singh, in connection with the incident.
Three others — Sukhwinder Singh, Manpreet Singh, and Gurlal Singh — were already arrested in the case.
Harmanpreet was arrested following the interrogation of Gurlal, said Special DGP Shukla.
The police said they recovered 200 litres of ethanol, 156 bottles of alcohol, 130 bottles containing suspected spurious liquor with labelling, 80 bottles containing spurious liquor without labelling, 4,500 empty bottles and a bottling machine, among other items.
The police said that with the arrest of four persons, they have busted a gang which has just started selling spurious liquor in the area in view of the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The gang could have affected the conduct of elections by luring voters, the police said in a statement.
Sangrur Civil Surgeon Kirpal Singh confirmed that a total of eight deaths have been recorded so far in the incident.
A case was registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and the Excise Act and a probe is underway. The district administration has also formed a five-member committee to investigate the matter.
The committee comprises Dirba sub-divisional magistrate, two officers of Dirba police (deputy superintendent of police and a station house officer), a senior medical officer and an excise and taxation officer.
The committee has been asked to submit a report on the matter in 72 hours, Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal had said on Wednesday.
A survey was also being conducted in Gujran village to find out if anyone else reported symptoms of deterioration in health. Multiple teams of health officials, Anganwadi workers, police, revenue and rural development officials are conducting a door-to-door survey.
Meanwhile, former MLA Parminder Singh Dhindsa on Thursday visited the Civil Hospital in Sangrur and inquired about the health of patients. He demanded the resignation of Dirba MLA and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Besides, he also sought strict action against those involved in selling spurious liquor. PTI CHS VSD RPA RPA
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