Morena Hooch Tragedy Death Count Now 21, Collector, Senior Cop Removed

The Morena hooch tragedy has claimed 21 lives in Madhya Pradesh where seven more people died on Wednesday, days after falling sick because of consuming spurious liquor, the police said. 

Taking serious note of the incident in the Manpur Prithwi and Pahawali villages of Morena district, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered transfer of the area collector and superintendent of police. 

In future, the collector and superintendent of police would be held directly responsible for such incidents, Mr Chouhan said. He has also ordered “a campaign against illegal liquor sale in the state” to prevent such tragedies.

The local station house officer was also suspended earlier.

A three-member committee, including additional chief secretary, home department, and two senior police officers, has been constituted to investigate the incident in which two suspects were arrested late Tuesday night.

Five accused remain missing and a reward of Rs 10,000 each has been announced on their capture, the police said. 

The death count shot to 21 on Wednesday as seven more people died after consumption of spurious liquor in Morena, a senior police officer confirmed, adding that at least 17 more people are being treated for alcohol poisoning in Morena and Gwalior district hospitals.

The condition of two is said to be critical, the police said. 

The incident is second of its kind within three months.

In October last year, more than 11 men, mostly daily wage earners and beggars, had died after consuming spurious alcohol in Ujjain. Among those arrested were two police constables, one of whom died recently at the Ujjain Central Jail after suffering a heart attack.