The death toll in the spurious liquor tragedy in eastern Assam’s Golaghat and Jorhat districts has gone up to 102 , including 32 women.
On Saturday, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the Jorhat Medical College Hospital (JMCH) where 122 persons are under treatment. Some of the victims are said to be in a critical condition. Mr Sonowal also nnounced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh for the dead and ₹50,000 for the sick.
Golaghat Deputy Commissioner Dhiren Hazarika said 59 people had died in the district by Saturday evening. The dead were all plantation workers from a tea estate and adjoining villages of Jugibari and Goronga.
“While 32 of them died in the villages and Golaghat Civil Hospital, 27 died in JMCH,” Mr Hazarika said. Of the dead, 23 were women.
JMCH is in Jorhat town, about 40 km east of Golaghat town.
“It is a heart-breaking situation with 43 people dying because of spurious liquor. Of these, 23 died in JMCH and 20 at the civil hospital in Titabor,” Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Roshni Aparanji Korathi told The Hindu .
The dead include the local vendors in both the districts.
Officials in both districts say the liquor could have been contaminated from the containers. “Some harmful chemical appears to be the reason, but we are waiting for the test reports,” Ms. Korathi said.
Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, who visited the two districts on Friday, said a four-member team set up to probe the incidents has been asked to submit its report by Monday.
Adivasi Congress leader Rupjyoti Kurmi, who represents the Mariani Assembly constituency in Jorhat district, blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party government for the “twin tragedy”. He said corrupt officials have let illicit brewers flourish with lethal consequences.
The government has suspended local Excise officials following the deaths.
