Four people died after consuming suspected spurious liquor at Jeetgadi village in Uttar Pradesh, and four policemen, including a station house officer, in Bulandshahr district were on Friday suspended in connection with the deaths.
Bulandshahr Senior Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Singh said a search was on for the main accused, identified as Kuldeep, who allegedly sold the liquor. The police had detained people linked to him for questioning.
SHO Sikandrabad, an outpost in charge and two constables were suspended.
“ Prima facie , after coming here, we got to know that liquor was being sold for quite some time. The SHO, outpost in charge and halka constables should have known about it, and they should have taken action,” said Mr. Singh.
The police are investigating where the liquor was manufactured.
District Magistrate Bulandshahr Ravindra Kumar said 17 others also fell ill after consuming the liquor. Five of them were in a serious condition. All the 17 have been sent to the district hospital and nearby hospitals for dialysis, as per requirement.
Three relatives of the main accused have been arrested and were being questioned about his whereabouts, he added.
A departmental probe was initiated against Joint Excise Commissioner Meerut Zone Rajesh Mani Tripathi, deputy commissioner Suresh Chandra Patel and Bulandshahr district excise officer Sanjay Kumar Tripathi for laxity in supervisory work over the incident. They have been attached to the excise commissionerate, said a senior official.
Four other officials including an excise inspector were suspended after being found prima facie lax in their duty, said Sanjay R. Bhoosreddy, additional chief secretary UP Excise Department.
