Hooch tragedy claims 14 lives in MP; probe on, 4 suspended

At least 14 people havedied and 20 others fallen seriously ill after drinking what issuspected to be spurious liquor in Madhya Pradesh's Morenadistrict, a senior police officer said, in second suchincident in the state in the last three months.

As per preliminary reports, some residents of Manpurand Pahawali villages in Morena district consumed a white-coloured liquor on Monday night, the officer said.

Later, people in some other nearby villages also fellill after consuming suspected spurious liquor, he said.

An investigation in the tragedy has been ordered andfour government officials, including policemen, have beensuspended.

''Fourteen persons have died and 20 others takenseriously ill after drinking suspected spurious liquor (inMorena district),'' Deputy Inspector General (DIG) RajeshHingankar told reporters.

This was the second hooch tragedy in Madhya Pradesh inthe last three months. In October, 14 people died afterdrinking spurious liquor in Ujjain.

The DIG said a case has been registered under section304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IndianPenal Code (IPC) and sections 34 and 91 of the Excise Act.

A few persons have been rounded up for investigationin the case, he said.

The senior police officer from Morena said ten peoplefrom Manpur and Pahawali villages died on Monday night.

The four other deaths were reported later, he said.

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

A post-mortem report is awaited to ascertain whetherthe liquor consumed by the victims was poisonous or not, theofficer added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan termedthe incident as ''tragic'' and ordered suspension of the Morenadistrict excise officer for negligence.

He said stern action will be taken against the guilty.

''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 investigationcome out, whoever is found guilty will not be spared. We willtake drastic action,'' Chouhan said in a tweet.

In Bhopal, 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 team is also being sent forinvestigation,'' Mishra said in a tweet.

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

The DIG informed that two more policemen - a sub-inspector and a head constable - were also suspended inconnection with the tragedy.

State Congress president Kamal Nath hit out at theChouhan-led BJP government over the incident.

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

''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.