Bulandshahr/Lucknow: Five people have died and 16 more have been hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh, police said Friday. Four policemen were suspended after the incident came to light, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directions to initiate action under the Gangsters Act against the accused. Death by drinking spurious liquor is on the rise in Uttar Pradesh.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Santosh Kumar Singh said people started falling sick in Jeet Garhi village of the district Wednesday night after consuming liquor purchased from a person identified as Kuldeep. They were admitted to a hospital, where five of them in the age group of 45 to 60 have died till Friday morning. Also 16 more are undergoing treatment, said Singh.
It has come to light that the liquor was being sold in the area for some time. Therefore the Sikandrabad police station in-charge, the Anokhepuri chowki in-charge and two constables have been suspended, the SSP said. Efforts are on to nab the main culprit, and some of his associates are being interrogated in custody, he added.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken a strong view of the incident, a government spokesperson said in Lucknow. He said that officials have been directed by the CM to initiate stern action under the National Security Act and the Gangsters Act against the accused.
Four of the deceased were identified as Satish, Kalua, Ranjit and Sukhpal, the police said.