LUCKNOW: As many as 197 persons have been killed due to hooch consumption in the state in the last one year. The state government suspended 58 police personnel for laxity in curbing sale of spurious liquor which resulted in casualties.
Police records show that a maximum 117 deaths took place in Agra zone, followed by 37 deaths in Prayagraj.
On Tuesday, the toll in Azamgarh hooch tragedy reached five, while 13 had died after consuming illicit liquor in Rae Bareli last month.
Among districts, hooch tragedies took place in Aligarh, Ambedkar Nagar, Pratapgarh, Fatehpur, Chitrakoot and Prayagraj, with Aligarh alone accounting for 45 deaths in one incident.
ADG law and order, Prashant Kumar said, “We registered 42 cases and arrested 320 accused in these cases. NSA was imposed on 19, while 157 were booked under Gangsters Act.” We registered 42 cases and chargesheet has already been filed in 38, final report filed in one while three are under probe, Kumar added.
Last year, there was a spate of liquor deaths in the state in March-April during Holi and panchayat polls. Six cops were suspended in the two incidents in Pratapgarh, four cops were suspended in Prayagraj, and five cops for hooch deaths in Chitrakoot. Four cops were suspended in Fatehpur. Six had died after consuming illicit liquor in Ambedkarnagar in May second week, after which four cops were suspended.
When 45 deaths took place last June in Aligarh, the then DGP had instructed district police chiefs to carry out specific, time-bound operations against spurious liquor.
The government had suspended police circle officer of Gabhana, Karmveer Singh, along with 13 cops following laxity.
