At least nine people died in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district allegedly after consuming spurious, homemade liquor, ANI reported on Thursday.
The nine victims, reportedly of the same family, had gone to a local feast at a relative’s house in Thal Kurd village on Tuesday night. After they fell sick, they were admitted to the Lucknow Trauma Center late on Wednesday night in critical condition.
On Thursday, a team reached the village to conduct an investigation. Barabanki Additional District Magistrate Anil Kumar Singh said the relatives of the victims claimed on Wednesday that they fell sick after consuming the spurious liquor. He added that one of the victims died of a heart attack and the other bodies are being examined.
Although the doctor who treated the patients also said they died after consuming “spirit alcohol”, the Excise Department of Barabanki district said they are conducting further investigations as they believe the victims died because of the cold weather.
Hooch tragedies take a heavy toll on Uttar Pradesh every year. In September 2017, the Uttar Pradesh government had recommended death penalty for those who manufacturer spurious liquor if their product kills or permanently disables a person. Governor Ram Naik approved the bill on Monday.
In July 2017, 18 people died in Azamgarh after they consumed spurious liquor.
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