Aligarh (UP): The death toll in the Aligarh Hooch tragedy rose to 35 on Saturday. At least 15 others who fell ill after consuming spurious liquor, allegedly sold by a licensed vendor here, are being treated at various hospitals.
The authorities have ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and suspend five excise officials while four people, including the liquor vend owner, have been arrested.
The inquiry will be conducted by an additional district magistrate-rank officer, District magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh told reporters.
The administration is likely to invoke the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against those found guilty, he said.
Additional District Magistrate (Finance) Vidhan Jaiswal told reporters that the victims are residents of villages under Lodha, Khair and Jawan police stations of Aligarh district.
The district magistrate has announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of each of the deceased.
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The liquor shop has been sealed and samples have been collected for testing. Four people, including the owner of the liquor vend at Andla, have been arrested, police said.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani said six police teams are combing villages to trace victims and help people get medical assistance.
"Among those arrested included an associate of the liquor vend owner and two of his sales assistants. They are being interrogated," the SSP said.
Agra Zone ADG Rajiv Krishna said names of three -- Anil Chaudhary, Vipin Yadav and Rishi Sharma -- came to the fore as the main accused in the incident.
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While Anil was among four already arrested, a reward of Rs 50, 000 each has been declared on arrests of Vipin Yadav and Rishi Sharma.
Additional Chief Secretary (Excise) Sanjay Bhoosreddy said District Excise Officer Dheeraj Sharma, Excise Inspectors Rajesh Kumar Yadav and Chandraprakash Yadav, Head Constable Ashok Kumar and Constable Ram Raj Rana have been suspended with immediate effect. Departmental action has also been initiated against them, he added.
According to locals, people had started falling sick on Thursday. Many others from neighbouring villages had also consumed the liquor, they added.
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Andla village head Om Dutt said apart from those who died, a large number of people were taken ill after consuming spurious liquor since Thursday afternoon. He alleged widespread reports suggested a racket behind spurious liquor.
with agency inputs
