Assam spurious liquor tragedy: Death toll rises to 114, protesters burn effigy of state excise minister
Guwahati, Feb 24 (IBNS): The death toll in the toxic liquor consumption incidents in Golaghat and Jorhat district has gone up to 114.
According to the reports, 53 people have died in Golaghat district, while 61 in Jorhat so far.
Twenty six women were among the dead and the toll likely to increase as conditions of few people among the hospitalised are stated to be critical.
Over 180 people, who fell ill after consuming spurious liquor, are still admitted at the hospitals in the two eastern Assam districts.
According to the reports of the state health department, 51 people died at Jorhat Medical College hospital and 47 died at Golaghat Swahid Kushal Konwar civil hospital till 7 pm on Saturday.
Besides eight others died at Titabor hospital.
In Jorhat Medical College hospital, 122 people are undergoing treatment for complications due to consumption of spurious liquor, while 59 are being treated at Golaghat Swahid Kushal Konwar civil hospital.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who met the affected at Jorhat Medical College hospital on Saturday and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those who fell ill.
The Assam CM had earlier ordered an inquiry into the tragedy and has instituted an one man inquiry.
It also asked Upper Assam Division Commissioner Julie Sonowal to inquire into the corollaries of events leading to the death of people.
The Assam CM had also held an emergency meeting in Guwahati with senior officials including DGP and Chief Secretary and instructed police to take stern action against the culprits.
Meanwhile, the Assam police and state excise department had arrested 30 people from Golaghat, Jorhat districts and other parts of the state.
Assam Health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had also visited Jorhat Medical College hospital and Golaghat civil hospital, where patients are undergoing treatment.
Two teams of specialist doctors are deployed at Jorhat Medical College hospital and Golaghat civil hospital and another team has rushed to Golaghat from Guwahati.
On the other hand, Assam state excise department PRO Sailen Pandey said that, following the tragic incidents, the state excise department has conducted raids against spurious liquor across the state and arrested 20 persons while destroying over 25,000 litres of illicit liquor.
“The state excise department has registered 90 cases against illicit liquor across the state so far,” Sailen Pandey said.
An excise department official of Biswanath district said that, they had conducted raids at several areas against illicit liquor.
“We have conducted raids at different places against illicit liquor and destroyed several litres of illicit liquor. We will continue this operation,” the excise official said.
On the other hand, protests broke out across the state over the hooch tragedy.
In Biswanath district, protesters on Sunday had staged protest and burnt effigy of state excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya and slammed the BJP-led Assam government.
(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)
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