Bengal hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 101

Mtoday news/ IndiaTV

Canning (WB), Dec 14: Spurious liquor claimed 34 more lives today, taking the toll in the hooch tragedy at Mograhat in South 24 Parganas district to 101. Currently reports say there there are 83 reported dead at Diamond Harbour hospital, 2 in Mograhat, and 16 in MR Bangur Hospital. Official sources say the casualty figures are likely to go up.
 
All the people fell ill after consuming spurious liquor from several illegal joints yesterday. Most of the dead were labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers.

Reports of the post mortem conducted on the dead indicate that the cause of death was respiratory and cardiac failure.

 

 

A large number of people were admitted to hospitals last night, the sources said, adding that the casualty was likely to go up.

Four persons have been arrested for allegedly supplying the illicit liquor. Sources said that the initial investigations indicated that Noor Islam Fakir, also known as Khora Badshah, was the key hooch supplier.

Soon after the incident yesterday, area residents had smashed a liquor manufacturing unit at Mograhat and the joints from where it was being sold at Sangrampur.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that she was in favour of taking strong action to stop sale of illegal liquor but added that the problem also had to be dealt with "socially".

In an interview to a Bengali news channel, she indirectly blamed the previous Left Front government in the state and said, "Illegal liquor business has been taking place for long in the state. When we try take action to stop this business, resistance comes from different quarters."

"I am not in favour of people drinking liquor, but I also don’t believe in instructing people on whether to drink fruit juice or liquor," Ms Banerjee said.

The state government had announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh each to the families of those who died.