The death toll in the Assam hooch tragedy climbed to over 110 with around 25 losing their lives by Saturday night.
Police arrested 11 persons in connection with the incident that happened in Golaghat and Jorhat districts of Upper Assam. Deaths began when tea plantation workers consumed spurious liquor which was mixed with methyl alcohol on Thursday night.
Nearly 300 were hospitalised in the two districts by Saturday of which at least 112 lost their lives.
Golaghat is 310 km east of Guwahati. Police had already arrested two people in connection with the event on Saturday.
The first four victims were from Halmira Tea Estate in Golaghat. The death toll continued climbing over the next two days. Jorhat is around 40 km away from Halmira Tea Estate.
According to reports, the victims include a mother-son duo, suspected to have supplied the local jaggery-based liquor, called ‘sulai’, at Halmira.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has already ordered an inquiry into the incident. Two excise officials of the district have been suspended.
Expressing concern over the deaths, the Chief Minister directed Upper Assam Divisional Commissioner Julie Sonowal to inquire into it and submit a report to the government within a month.
Sonowal also asked state Power Minister Topon Kumar Gogoi, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and MLA Mrinal Saikia to rush to the spot to assess and control the situation.
Assam Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya directed a team of department officials to conduct an inquiry into the incident.
Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi has demanded the resignation of the excise minister and urged the CM to provide adequate compensation to the next of the kin of the deceased.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday expressed condolences in a Facebook post saying, “I am saddened by the incident which occurred in Assam’s Golaghat area. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims. I hope that those undergoing treatment get well soon.”
The deaths come less than two weeks after 97 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Uttar Pradesh reported a total of 64 deaths, with 54 reported from Saharanpur district and 11 from Kushinagar.
The spurious alcohol was consumed in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on 8 February.
Dr Pranjal Sarma of the Halmira Tea Estate Hospital reportedly said at least 38 of these victims were from the tea garden.
Most of the patients have been admitted to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH). The rest have been admitted to the Golaghat Civil Hospital.
Police seized 1.5 litres of liquor from the house of one of the deceased. At least 17 other sellers have been identified.