MP hooch tragedy: Toll reaches 24, govt probe panel in Morena

With the death of fourmore people, the toll in the hooch tragedy in Madhya Pradesh'sMorena district has gone up to 24, a senior police officialsaid on Thursday.

Besides, 15 people are currently undergoing treatmentin different government hospitals in Morena and Gwalior afterconsuming spurious liquor, Deputy Inspector General, ChambalRange, Rajesh Hingankar told PTI.

''The death toll is 24 now as four more persons diedafter consuming spurious liquor,'' he said.

Some residents of Manpur and Pahawali villages inMorena consumed a white-coloured liquor on Monday night.

Later, people in some other nearby villages also fell illafter consuming spurious liquor, police had said.

A three-member team headed by Additional ChiefSecretary Rajesh Rajora reached Manpur village on Thursday toconduct a probe into the incident.

The other members of the committee are AdditionalDirector General of Police (CID) A Sai Manohar and DeputyInspector General Mithilesh Shukla.

The state government has removed the entire staff ofBagchini police station on charges of negligence in duty, anofficial said.

Morena's Sub-Divisional Officer of Police SujitBhadira has also been suspended by the government, he said.

The government on Wednesday transferred Morena'scollector and superintendent of police.

B Karthikeyan has now been appointed as the newcollector of Morena and Sunil Kumar Pande will be thedistrict's new SP, the official said.

Police have registered a case against seven people inconnection with the incident on the charge of culpablehomicide not amounting to murder and under the Excise Act, anddeclared a reward of Rs 10,000 each for their arrest, anofficial earlier said.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesdaytermed the incident as ''painful'' and said a campaign should belaunched against illegal liquor sale in the state.