KOLKATA: Seven persons died on Wednesday at Ghusuri in Howrah after consuming spurious liquor at an illegal hooch-den. Twenty others were also had to be admitted to the local healthcare centre where condition of three was said to be critical. Irate local residents ransacked the hooch-point alleging the local police administration was aware of it but no action was taken.
Police detained one person in connection with running the illegal trade. A huge quantity of liquor and items, which were stored to manufacturing hooch, was seized. Forensic experts were informed to collect samples from the liquor den.
Local people alleged that the deceased others, who are admitted to the hospital, consumed liquor from the den on Tuesday evening and they started falling ill by the wee hours of Wednesday.
"The liquor den is located beside the railway tracks and at a stone’s throw from Malipanchghara police station. The trade was being run in arrangement with the local police station,’’ alleged a local resident.
As the news of the deaths spread, hundreds of local residents, mainly women, staged demonstrations in phases on Wednesday and they ransacked the den.
Ghusuri, where the incident took place, houses a number of small factories and foundry units which employ local people. The consumers of hooch-den are mainly the workers of these factories and foundry units. The demonstrators alleged they had approached the local police on several occasions informing the law-keepers about the illegal trade but no action was taken.
"Had the police acted on time, such a tragedy could have been averted,’’ alleged Madhabi Dolui, a homemaker residing in the locality.
Police, however, refuted the allegation that the dean was being run in arrangement with the local police station.