The Hindu : Front Page : Gujarat hooch tragedy toll goes up to 43

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Thursday, Jul 09, 2009
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Gujarat hooch tragedy toll goes up to 43

Manas Dasgupta

Judicial commission to probe incident

AHMEDABAD: The death toll in the illicit liquor tragedy here has gone up to 43, with at least 10 more people still critical, even as the Gujarat government ordered a judicial commission to probe the incident.

Director-General of Police S.S. Khandwawala did not rule out the possibility of the death toll going up, as new cases were still pouring into the four hospitals in the city where 29 affected people are undergoing treatment.

The government ordered the suspension of six police officials — two Assistant Commissioners of Police and four inspectors in Kagdapith and Odhav police station areas — holding them responsible for inaction with regard to the liquor supply chain that violated total prohibition in the State.

The police also sounded a State-wide alert to nab Harishankar Kahar who, the police believe, was the main supplier of the spurious liquor that hit Majoor Gaam area (under the Kagdapith police station) on Tuesday, and further spread to Odhav and Amraiwadi police station areas on Wednesday.

Mr. Khandwawala said Kahar had earlier been held twice under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) for bootlegging, and had been released from jail in February.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Amit Shah told the Assembly that the probe commission would be assisted by an official of the Forensic Science Laboratory, a doctor from the civil hospital, and the retired Inspector-General of Police, G.C. Raigar. Mr. Shah said it would be given time until November to submit its report.

Opposition walkout

The Opposition staged a walkout in the House after leader of the Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil was disallowed by Speaker Ashok Bhatt to move an adjournment motion on the tragedy, as he had not given due notice in time.

As several Congress members continued to stage a noisy protest and rushed into the well of the House, 14 of them were named and suspended from the House for the day.

Mr. Khandwawala said Arvind Solanki, who was among those killed in the Majoor Gaam locality, was also believed to be among the suppliers and had been booked for bootlegging eight times in the past, but apparently had no knowledge of the brew being poisonous this time.

Even as the police thought the liquor tragedy was over with 16 deaths in Majoor Gaam on Tuesday night, three bodies were found lying behind the municipal fire station in the Odhav locality early on Wednesday morning. There was then a beeline of patients arriving at various hospitals who said they had consumed the liquor on Tuesday night.

Police targeted

The people in Majoor Gaam and Odhav observed a voluntary ‘bandh’ for the day in view of the tragedy and turned their wrath on the police. Hundreds of people came out on the streets and even manhandled some police personnel. They complained that the police had been repeatedly informed about illicit liquor dens.

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