Poisonous potali liquor kills 14 labourers, beggars in Ujjain, prime accused nabbed as CM orders probe

According to informed sources in Ujjain, the incident began with the recovery of two bodies of labourers and beggars from Chhatri Chowk (Sarai labour market) on Wednesday morning.
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)

BHOPAL: At least Fourteen persons have died at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh after drinking spurious liquor, a top official said on Thursday.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a high- level probe into the incident and a police station in-charge, a sub-inspector and two constables of the Kharakua police station of Ujjain have been suspended by the Ujjain district police superintendent Manoj Kumar Singh for failing to keep a check on such activities.

"Fourteen people have died after consuming spurious liquor in Ujjain since yesterday morning," state Home Department's Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Dr Rajesh Rajora told PTI.

"We have arrested the prime accused, a bootlegger named Younis, who had boarded a bus at Indore and was fleeing to Agra," Rajora said.

Some other petty bootleggers too have been held, he said, adding that he was on his way to Ujjain for further probe.

According to informed sources in Ujjain, the incident began with the recovery of two bodies of labourers and beggars from Chhatri Chowk (Sarai labour market) on Wednesday morning. Subsequently, more labourers and beggars (all aged between 45 and 65 years of age) in other areas of Kharakua and Mahakal police station areas also started falling ill, complaining of acute stomach pain.

"Though the autopsy reports of the deceased are not yet out and viscera samples of some bodies are being sent for further forensic analysis, a primary probe by the police suggest that suspected poisoning by the spurious liquor popular among labourers as potali and ginger could have caused the deaths," Ujjain district police superintendent Manoj Kumar Singh told The New Indian Express on Thursday.

As per sources, the locally made spurious liquor/denatured spirit priced at Rs 10 and Rs 20 was being openly sold among daily-wage labourers and beggars in the Kharakuwan and Mahakal police station areas for the last many months. Shockingly, the prime sale of the spurious liquor popular as Ginger or Potali (as it was sold in small polythene bags tied with thread) was most prevalent in the Chhatri Chowk/Sarai market located just around 50 meters from the Kharakua police outpost.

With the entire issue rendering fresh ammo to the opposition Congress to attack the BJP government in assembly by-poll bound MP, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a high-level probe headed by ACS (Home) Rajesh Rajoura into the matter.

"A high-level probe headed by ACS-Home has been ordered, after which a special investigation team (SIT) of police has been constituted. Multiple police teams have been formed to arrest the three men primarily found involved in the matter, but those officials whose lapses led to the incident too won’t be spared. Those involved in the crime will be rendered severest possible punishment up to death penalty. Police have been instructed to go for a crackdown against such elements in other places too," Chouhan said.

Slamming the government over the shocking episode, the MP Congress chief and ex-CM Kamal Nath tweeted, "The liquor mafia was crushed during our regime in MP, how have they become active again. The CM should reply for how long innocent people will fall prey to mafia."

The MPCC chief also constituted a team of local Congress MLAs of Ujjain district to go to the spot and probe the matter.   

(With ENS and PTI inputs)
 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com