PATNA: Seven people, including two policemen, died after consuming spurious liquor in Ranchi in the past 24 hours. At least 14 people, who had consumed illicit liquor, are battling for life at different hospitals in Ranchi.
Two constables of Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) - Yogesh Chhatri (36) of JAP-1 and Mahadev Murmu (40) of JAP-8 - died Tuesday allegedly due to hooch consumption. The deaths prompted Jharkhand's opposition parties to launch protests against the Raghubar Das-led government Wednesday.
Though the grieving family members of the victims said the deaths were caused by moonshine, police rubbished the claims.
"Yogesh Chhatri had been a liquor addict and his liver was already in a bad condition. He had been to rehab several times, but failed to change his habits. He might have died due to excessive consumption of liquor. Murmu did not die due to drinking," sair Kumar Jha, DIG of JAP.
Bikram Rai, another JAP constable, is under treatment at the Medical Hospital in Ranchi following complications arising out of drinking spurious liquor.
A raid conducted by police led to the recovery of 240 bottles of illicit liquor from the house of Gautam Gurung, a JAP constable, said sources. Gurung, whose brother was allegedly selling the liquor, was arrested along with two grocers, from whose shop bottles of liquor were recovered during a raid.
The moonshine was allegedly supplied from a shop near the JAP-1 headquarters in Ranchi's Doranda area. The district administration suspended the officers-in-charge of Namkum and Doranda police stations and excise sub-inspector Rana Moti Lal Singh, in charge of Kotwali area, for dereliction of duty.
"Four people are said to have died due to consumption of spurious liquor so far. The cause of their death will be confirmed after autopsy reports are received. We are carrying out raids against people selling illicit liquor," said Ranchi SSP Kuldeep Dwivedi.
A special police team, with officers from CID, has been formed to probe the case. Stomach wash samples and other evidence collected from the deceased would be sent for forensic analysis, said an official. The hooch deaths, coming barely a month after the state-owned Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited took over the wholesale liquor business in the state, caused a big embarrassment to the BJP-led government.
"The Raghubar Das government, which decided to sell liquor in the state, is responsible for these deaths. The government has failed to protect the lives of ordinary people," said state Congress general secretary Alok Dubey.
Congress leaders and workers took out a protest march in Ranchi and burned effigies of Das. JMM leader Shashank Shekhar Bhokta attacked the state government's excise policy for the deaths.