The death toll in the Etah hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh has climbed to 33, provoking the Samajwadi Party government to launch a State-wide drive against spurious liquor leading to the arrest of 1,621 people across the State.
While 29 people died in Etah district, four more victims were reported from neighbouring Farukkhabad, police said. Some have also lost their eyesight.
Joining the BJP, which has blamed Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for the lapse as the Excise Department comes under him, the BSP on Tuesday said the loss of life of innocent people reflected the SP government’s “criminal negligence” and failure. BSP chief Mayawati termed the incident an example of the “prevailing jungle raj” in the State, alleging sale of spurious liquor was rampant under the SP rule.
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The SP government has suspended many police and administrative officials, including Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Station House Officer, Circle Officer and District Excise Officer, for dereliction of duty. But Ms. Mayawati said that given the seriousness of the case, the punishment was “ordinary” and “merely an eyewash”. The concerned officials should not just be suspended but also sacked from their jobs, booked under severe provisions of law and sent to jail, she said.
The incident has rattled the UP government, which carried out a drive against sale of illegal liquor across the State. The police registered 1,585 cases and arrested 1,621 people accused of being engaged in spurious liquor trade. Also, 36,121 litres of spurious liquor were seized while seven vehicles were recovered, a police spokesperson said. During its campaign, which was led by top UP cops, 197 illegal liquor joints were shut down. The police late on Saturday night nabbed main accused Shripal Lodh from the Nayagaon area of the district.
Ms. Mayawati demanded that the compensation given to the families of the victims be increased - the State had announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 2 lakh each and would also bear the cost of treatment of those who lost their eyesight.
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The BJP, which has formed a seven-member team of senior officer-bearers to probe the incident, will submit its report in a couple of days, party spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said. Etah MP Rajveer Singh, State general secretary and son of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Pankaj Singh and Agra MP and former minister Ram Shankar Katheria, are part of the team.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also reacted to the tragedy saying, “Those responsible must be brought to book.”
UP DGP Javeed Ahmed has instructed officers to ensure that the sale of spurious liquor was checked and warned that concerned station officers and gazetted officials would be held responsible for any lapses.
Those responsible must be brought to book, says Rahul Gandhi