Ten persons have died in the last three days after drinking homemade liquor distributed by the husband of a panchayat election candidate in two villages of Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district, The Print reported on Monday.
According to the police, the liquor was distributed by Bijendra Bhan in Phoolgarh and Shivgarh village ahead of the panchayat elections on September 26, in which her wife Babli contested.
While Bhan was arrested by the police on Saturday, Babli and her brother Naresh are on the run.
Superintendent of Police Parmendra Singh Dobhal said Bhan has been booked under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
“The accused [Bhan] started distributing liquor to the villagers right after the Haridwar rural body elections were announced on September 2,” Bhan told The Print. “Demand for liquor increased as the nomination date, September 6, came closer. The number of villagers who consumed the liquor was much higher, but the deceased persons took it in excess quantities.”
Dobhal also said that the police also found 35 litres of illegal raw liquor from Bhan’s house, according to The Indian Express.
Four police personnel and nine excise department officials have been suspended for negligence by the district administration. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said strict action will be taken against those responsible in the incident.
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