Berhampur/Bhubaneswar: The death toll in the Ganjam spurious liquor case rose to two on Wednesday, after one more person undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College & Hospital died, police said.
At least 15 people were receiving treatment at the medical facility after they fell ill after consuming illicit country liquor Monday.
The incident has sparked a political row as the issue was raised in the Odisha assembly with the opposition BJD demanding a probe by an RDC (revenue divisional commissioner) level officer into the tragedy in which nearly 20 people fell ill after consuming country liquor in Chikiti area of Ganjam district.
Loknath Behera of Jenasahi died during treatment at the hospital on Wednesday, while 60-year-old Jura Behera of the same village succumbed on Tuesday night.
Both were undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the medicine ward in the hospital since Monday night along with others.
Both the victims were also suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, the superintendent of the medical college and hospital, Suchitra Dash, said.
She said 13 others are undergoing treatment at medical college and hospital.
“The condition of one of them was critical and admitted to the ICU,” Dr Dash said.
Odisha’s excise minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Wednesday directed the transfer of the excise superintendent of Berhampur.
He also directed officials to stop the sale of illegal and illicit liquor trade in the state.
“All the persons involved in such cases will be traced and strict punishment will be imposed as per law,” he said.
The minister informed that as many as eight people have been arrested so far in the liquor death case in Chikiti.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers staged a road blockade at Chikiti demanding compensation for the victims.
They lifted the blockade after the police intervened, sources said.
Nearly 20 people of Jenasahi, Maoundapur, Karabalua were taken ill after consuming country-made liquor from an illegal vendor on Monday.
Initially, they were admitted to a community health centre in Chikiti and then referred to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital on the same day.
The police and excise personnel conducted joint raids in the nearby area to crack down on the illegal unit of the country-made liquor.
Surendra Mallick of Khemunda was one of the key persons in the manufacturing of the spurious liquor and was one among the arrested persons, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Berhampur, Sarthak Sadangi, said.
Mallick’s wife Saraswati and one of his associates Srihari Mallick were also arrested during the joint raids, he said.
He said Mallick manufactured the country-made liquor in the forest and supplied it to the nearby area.
The SP also said an alert was sounded to all the police stations to take preventive measures to avert any hooch-related incident after the one at Chikiti.
Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi, excise superintendent, Berhampur said they have also conducted raids in several areas separately.
During raids huge quantities of molasses were destroyed and over 300 litres of country liquor seized.
The raids continued in different places.
“We demand the state government to inform the House about the actions taken in the incident so far. The BJP came to power with the slogan of regulating liquor, but now a hooch tragedy is taking place,” Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik said.
The BJD has formed a fact-finding team headed by former excise minister Niranjan Pujari which will undertake an on-the-spot inquiry on Thursday and submit its report to Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, the party said in a statement.
Congress leader and MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded adequate compensation to the families of liquor tragedy victims and stringent action against the persons responsible for the circulation of spurious liquor in Chikiti area.
BJP MLA from Chikiti, Manoranjan Dyan Samantray, blamed the previous BJD government for the tragedy and alleged that the people linked to the liquor business in the area are connected to the regional party.
“The liquor mafia was being protected by BJD leaders for a long time,” Samntray said.
PTI