Chikiti: Six months after five people died consuming spurious liquor in Jenapur and Karabalua villages under Chikiti notified area council (NAC) in Ganjam district, Excise Commissioner Narasingha Bhol visited the affected areas Tuesday and started an investigation.
The commissioner met with the families of the deceased persons and discussed the incident in detail. Excise Superintendent Prabin Kumar Pradhan, DSP Kumud Ranjan Kuhnka, Chikiti SDPO Biswamitra Harpal, K Nuagaon police station in-charge Kishore Kumar Samal, Chikiti excise SI Sanjay Kumar Gupta, inspector Sanjay Kumar Panda, and Excise SI R Lakshmi Devi also visited the areas.
Although six months have elapsed since the incident, the affected families are yet to receive compensation from the government. The tragedy had sparked intense debate in the Assembly, with both the ruling and Opposition members blaming each other over the issue.
Alleging that BJD’s involvement in the incident, Chikiti MLA Manoranjan Dyan Samantara of BJP had accused senior BJD organiser Surendra Mandal of the issue.
Meanwhile, All India Forward Bloc’s Ganjam district committee president, Bibhudhendra Padhi, demanded a judicial inquiry into the tragedy. He claimed that despite submitting their demands to the chief minister, chief secretary, and excise commissioner, the government had taken no action. He also alleged that the excise commissioner’s visit was merely an attempt to cover up the incident.
According to reports, 25 people fell ill after consuming hooch in Maundapur village under K Nuagaon police limits August 19, 2024. While 20 of them recovered after treatment, five succumbed.
The deceased were identified as Jur Behera, Lokanath Behera, Pradeep Behera, Baya Sethy and Lakshman Behera from Jenapur and Karabalua villages. Following the tragedy, locals in Jenapur staged protests, demanding compensation and a complete ban on liquor sales in the area.
They blocked roads, lifting the blockade only after assurances from the administration. However, six months later, neither has liquor sales been banned in the region nor have the victims’ families received any financial assistance.
PNN
