12 dead after consuming suspected spurious liquor in MP

At least 12 people havedied and seven others have fallen seriously ill afterconsuming suspected spurious liquor in Madhya Pradesh's Morenadistrict, the second such incident in the state within thelast three months.

As per preliminary reports, some residents of Manpurand Pahawali villages in Morena district consumed a whitecoloured liquor on Monday night, a senior police officer said.

This was the second such incident in Madhya Pradesh inthe last three months. In October last year, 14 people diedafter drinking spurious liquor in Ujjain.

''12 persons died and seven others seriously fell illafter drinking suspected spurious liquor (in Morenadistrict),'' Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajesh Hingankartold reporters.

He said a case has been registered under section 304(Culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IndianPenal Code (IPC) and sections 34 and 91 of the Excise Act.

Few persons were also rounded up for investigation inthe case, the DIG said.

The senior police officer from Morena said ten peoplefrom Manpur and Pahawali villages died on Monday night afterconsuming suspected spurious liquor, and another person diedlater.

He said those who fell seriously ill were admitted inGwalior for treatment.

The postmortem report is awaited to know whether theliquor was poisonous or not, he added.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhanhas termed the incident ''tragic'' and ordered suspension ofMorena district excise officer for negligence.

He said ''drastic'' action will be taken against theguilty.

''The Morena incident is very unfortunate and tragic.

The investigation of the case is going on. The District ExciseOfficer has been suspended for prima facie negligence.

''As soon as the remaining facts of the investigationwill come out, whoever is found guilty will not be spared. Wewill take drastic action,'' Chouhan said in a tweet.

State Home Minister Narottam Mishra said a policeofficial has been suspended following the incident.

''The incident of deaths caused by drinking poisonousliquor in Morena is very sad and painful. The in-charge of thepolice station concerned has been suspended. A separate teamis also being sent for investigation,'' Mishra said in a tweet.

Those responsible for the incident will not be spared,he added.

State Congress chief Kamal Nath hit out at the ShivrajSingh Chouhan government over the incident.

''Liquor mafia continues to wreak havoc, after killing16 in Ujjain, now they have killed about 10 people in Morena.

''Shivraj ji, how long will the liquor mafia keepkilling people like this? The government should provide propertreatment to the sick and help the affected families in everyway possible,'' Nath said in a tweet.

He alleged that the chief minister has been makingfalse claims about action against the mafias.