At least 11 people were killed in MP’s Ujjain after consuming illicit liquor. The state government has ordered a probe into the matter.
(Representative image: Reuters)
Eleven people died during the intervening night of October 14 and 15 in the temple city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh after consuming illicit liquor. The MP government has ordered a probe by a three-member team led by the Additional Chief Secretary, Home in the matter.
The deceased are mostly destitute and do not have family members. They mostly live on pavements.
As per preliminary reports of post mortems, death seems to have occurred due to the consumption of denatured spirit.
Collector, Ujjain, Asheesh Singh told India Today TV that the victims began reporting at various government hospitals after their health began to deteriorate from Wednesday evening onwards. The district administration is trying to ascertain if there is a racket working behind supplying the cheap fix.
On Thursday morning, stock-taking of medical stores in the town showed the difference between the stock of spirit they are allowed to maintain and the quantity they actually had. As per the preliminary investigation, an abandoned parking area of the municipal corporation is said to be the place where the toxic fix was being made and sold in old milk packets for Rs 10.
Meanwhile, the issue acquired political tones as 28 Assembly segments are set to go to bypolls in Madhya Pradesh on November 3. Former CM Kamal Nath said that his government had cracked down on mafia elements and that the hooch tragedy was a result of the mafia becoming active again.
CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced an inquiry by ACS Home Rajesh Rajora. He would be assisted by Additional Director General (ADG) SK Jha and DIG Ratlam Range Sushant Saxena.