UP's hooch tragedy: Toll reaches 27, many critical

The toll in Monday's hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh's and Unnao risen to 27 Tuesday, as nine people undergoing treatment at various hospitals died here during treatment, officials said.

Over 122 people have been admitted to medical facilities, with condition of 12 of them continues to be critical. Many have lost their eyesight.

The deceased include 15 from Malihabad town, four from Sarojininagar in Lucknow and eight from Unnao district.

Confirming the latest deaths, a state government official said the toll was likely to go up.

District Magistrate Raj Shekhar told IANS that some deaths have occurred through the night and the district administration was collecting the detail.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested Pyare Lal, the supplier of the illicit liquor while his accomplices are still at large.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav presided a high-level emergency meet late Monday and ordered suspension of 16 officials of the excise and police department.

Seeking an explanation on the tragedy from the state's excise commissioner, he also directed officials to launch a massive drive against sale and manufacturing of such spurious liquor across the state.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attacked the state government, alleging its complicity with hooch sellers and of being complacent as illicit liquor was being sold in many parts of the state.

"This is not for the first time that such a tragedy has taken place under the watch of the state government. In October 2013, 37 people had died in a similar incident in Azamgarh, some officials were suspended and the Samajwadi party government forgot its follow up thereafter," said Vijay Bahadur Pathak, BJP's state spokesman.

-- Indo-Asian News Service

md/sd