Morena: At least 14 people died and several others fell ill allegedly after drinking spurious alcohol in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
Police told reporters on January 12 that the victims came from three villagers in Morena district, 465 km north of Bhopal, the state capital.
The incident occurred on January 11 when 12 people were killed. Two died at a hospital in Gwalior January 12, taking the toll to 14.
As many as 19 men who fell ill have been hospitalized in Morena and Gwalior, according to inspector general of police Manoj Sharma.
He said they have registered a First Information Report against 7 persons who sold the liquor. A reward of 10,000 rupees has been announced on arrest of each of the accused, Sharma said.
The tragedy comes less than three months after a similar incident in Ujjain district that killed 14 people.
District excise officer Javed Ahmad and Bagchini police station in-charge in Morena district Avinash Rathore have been suspended on the ground of dereliction of duty, officials said.
The deceased include Ram Kumar Kirar, Dharmendra Singh, Dilip Shakya, Jitendra Jatav, Sarnam Kirar, Kedar Jadhav, Mukesh Kirar and Mukut Singh Rathore, residents of Manpur-Chhaira village, Bunty, Jitendra and Ramnivas, residents of Pawali village and Amar Singh, a resident of Bilaiyapura, police said.
A police officer who did not wish to be named said the victims were in a group who attended a party. Around midnight the victims fell ill.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said the deaths caused by spurious liquor in Morena were unfortunate and painful. “A separate team is being sent for an investigation. None of the guilty will be spared.”
A similar tweet came from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
“Though investigation in the case is going on, the district excise officer has been suspended on the ground of his carelessness in supervision. As and when facts during the investigation come to light the guilty will not be spared. We will take a stern action,” Chouhan said.