The death toll in the Malvani hooch tragedy rose to 97 on Sunday even as more than forty others were battling for their life in private and government hospitals.
The Maharashtra government has announced a relief aid of Rs. 1 lakh each to the victims’ families.
The incident, which occurred at the Laxmi Nagar slum near Gamdevi Jurassic Park in Malvani in suburban Malad on Wednesday night, is the worst hooch tragedy in Mumbai in a decade.
State Education Minister and Guardian Minister of suburban Mumbai Vinod Tawde visited the families of the victims and declared Rs. 1 lakh each as aid from the Chief Minister’s fund. Mr. Tawde assured the families that “nobody would be spared” in the probe and said the government would try to support the children of the deceased to complete their education. The victims’ families will be provided the aid on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Police Crime Branch has launched a manhunt for bootleggers who are said to be kingpins behind the illicit trade.
The government has suspended eight police personnel, including senior police Inspector Prakash Patil, while four excise officials, Inspector Jagdish Deshmukh, Sub-Inspector Rajendra Salunkhe and Constables Varsha Vengulkar and Dhanaji Dalvi were also suspended.
Mr. Tawde also had a review meeting with Additional Commissioner of Police Fatehsing Patil, Suburban Collector Shekhar Channe and other officials instructing them to take action in all spots where spurious liquor was sold.
The BJP-led government is under attack from the opposition parties with the Congress alleging that illicit businesses in the State had the protection of the BJP government. Congress State president and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said mere “action against the junior officials was not sufficient.” The kingpins of these illicit trades should be brought to book and a thorough probe initiated, he said.
Republican Party of India-A chief Ramdas Athwavle, an ally of the BJP, also urged the government to take immediate action against those selling illicit liquor. He said he would meet the Chief Minister on Monday and appeal him to pay a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to the kin of each victim.
