BHUBANESWAR: The brewer of the toxic hooch in Chikiti that claimed two lives was arrested five times in the past by both excise and police for illicit country liquor production but continued his trade undeterred.
As excise and police swung into action and arrested six persons, including the manufacturer, Surendra Mallick of Khemundi, it came to light that he has been selling illicit liquor in Patrapur and Digapahandi areas of Ganjam and some pockets of Nayagarh district since the last four years.
Though he was arrested multiple times, Mallick would come back to trade each time right under the nose of the local agencies. In this particular case, the matter turned serious as most of the people who consumed the spurious liquor in Moundpur village fell ill, said sources.
Sources said the liquor samples were collected for laboratory testing. In many instances, bootleggers mix pesticides and even battery powder with the spurious liquor. More details about the liquor which claimed two lives will emerge after laboratory report is available, excise sources said.
After the incident, the Excise department launched a seven-day drive starting Tuesday to check the sale of illicit liquor across the state.
The officials have registered 203 cases and arrested 117 people from various districts between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning for allegedly manufacturing and selling country liquor.
Excise officials also seized 10,380 litre illicitly distilled liquor from different parts of the state and destroyed fermented alcohol (pocha) at seven places in Ganjam, Balasore and Sonepur districts. The officials warned stringent action will be initiated against people manufacturing and selling such brew.
“Out of the six accused, Baya Sahu was arrested for purchasing the toxic liquor from Mallick and then selling it in Moundpur village. It is suspected that the country liquor sold by Sahu was possibly laced with spurious substances,” Excise commissioner Narasingha Bhol told mediapersons here on Wednesday.
Bhol had visited Ganjam on Tuesday evening to take stock of the investigation and interact with the people who were undergoing treatment in the hospital.
K Nuagaon police have registered a case under sections 61(2), 110, 113, 274 and 275 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and sections 52(a), 59(b)(c) and 62(1) of Odisha Excise Act.
While the hooch claimed lives of two persons. Jura Behera and Loknath Behera), both natives of Jenapur village, over 20 people were admitted to Chikiti community health centre (CHC) after they consumed the toxic country liquor on Tuesday. Of them 14 were later rushed to MKCG medical college and hospital.
