Two held in Kushinagar hooch tragedy case

Two persons have been arrested in connection with Kushinagar hooch tragedy, which claimed eight lives, said Superintendent of Police Rajeev Narayan Mishra here on Sunday.

Talking to ANI, Mishra said: "Eight people died in the hooch tragedy. We have arrested two persons in this regard. We are likely to arrest more people behind the crime.""In order to conduct a transparent probe, the Circle Officer (CO) has been sent to the Police Lines. We have suspended a beat constable and station in-charge-officer due to their laxity in the matter," he added.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who died after consuming spurious liquor and Rs 50,000 each to those who are undergoing treatment. Consumption of spurious illegal liquor has claimed the lives of 70 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, forcing the governments to launch a major crackdown to nab those responsible for distribution of illicit liquor in the states and neighbouring regions.

While 14 people lost their lives in Uttarakhand, the death toll in Uttar Pradesh mounted to 56."In Kushinagar, illegal trafficking of liquor has been suspected to have taken place from Bihar," Additional Director General (Law and Order) Uttar Pradesh Police Anand Kumar had said in Lucknow on Saturday, claiming that 10 people fell prey to Kushinagar hooch tragedy."The police and excise team across the state are conducting a massive search to trace the culprits," he said.

Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh Police teams are carrying out joint operations in a bid to take on the producers of spurious liquor.