The toll in the hooch tragedy in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district rose to 24 on Thursday, with the death of four more people, PTI reported, quoting a senior police official.
At least 15 other people are currently undergoing treatment in different government hospitals in Morena and Gwalior after consuming spurious liquor, Deputy Inspector General, Chambal Range, Rajesh Hingankar told PTI.
The incident first came to light after a few people from Manpur village in Morena fell ill after consuming the alcohol on Sunday. The number of those who fell sick rose on Monday after people from neighbouring Pahawali village started showing signs of alcohol poisoning. Since then, the toll has continued to rise.
A three-member team headed by Additional Chief Secretary Rajesh Rajora reached Manpur village on Thursday to conduct a probe into the incident, according to PTI. The state government has removed the entire staff of the local Bagchini police station on charges of negligence in duty, an official told PTI.
“A first information report against seven accused has been lodged for sale of spurious liquor,” Manoj Sharma, Inspector General of Police, Morena zone, told the Hindustan Times on Wednesday. “Two of them are among those hospitalised. They will be arrested as soon as they are discharged from the hospital. A manhunt has been launched to arrest the others.”
Meanwhile, the police have announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for catching each of the accused, reported India Today.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday termed the incident as painful and said a campaign should be launched against illegal liquor sale in the state.
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