Hooch kills 4 in UP, four cops suspended

Four persons died and one took ill on Tuesday after consuming illicit liquor following which four policemen, including the area SHO, were suspended in Khora locality here, police said.

Police received an anonymous call on Tuesday morning informing about the victims, SP City Akash Tomar said, adding that the caller said that several persons consumed liquor, which they bought from an unauthorised vendor, in a park here till midnight.

After the call, senior police and other officers, including the District Magistrate, rushed to the spot. The victims were taken to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Delhi.

The deceased were identified as Sandeep (18), Avneesh (25), Ashok Kumar (45) and Ravendra (36). The condition of Shriniwas is critical, Tomar said.

Taking punitive action, SSP H.N. Singh suspended four policemen -- SHO Dhruv Bhushan Dubey, the area police post in-charge Ram Samajh Rana and two beat constables Rajvir Singh and Mohd Asgari.

A door-to-door search was being conducted by the police to find if there are more victims.

District Magistrate Ritu Maheswari has recommended action against some officers of the excise department.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inquired about the case and sought a detailed report from the District Magistrate.

--IANS

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