Having lost their loved ones due to the intake of spurious liquor, the women of Umahi village of Saharanpur, which was the worst hit by the recent hooch tragedy, came out in protest of open sale of liquor before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday and demanded stern action in this regard.
The three-member SIT, headed by ADG (Railways) Sanjay Singhal, and comprising of the commissioner of Saharanpur division CP Tripathi and IG Saharanpur Range Sharad Sachan, visited the villages hit by the hooch tragedy on Wednesday. The team was investigating the causes behind the tragedy and was recording the statements of the villagers and family members of the victims.
When they reached Umahi village of Nangal area of the district, they had to face a strong protest staged by the local women. Fifteen people had died in Umahi village, while eight fell seriously ill. Umahi village is among the worst hit by the incident.
Hundreds of angry women gathered in the village, demanding to meet the members of the SIT. They staged a protest before the team and demanded stern action against the liquor mafia which has been active in the area for a long time.
The women said that the liquor mafia has devastated the lives of the villagers as most of the victims were the only earning members of their families. After their death, their families have no one left to fend for them.
In order to pacify the angry women, SDM (Sadar) Parmanand Jha and SHO of Nangal Police station Satendra Kumar Rai who were accompanying the SIT, assured them of prompt action against those responsible for the tragedy.
The SDM and SHO appealed to the villagers to share every piece of information they come across regarding the sale of liquor in their village and promised swift action to their complaints.
Meanwhile, a rally was taken out through villages Kota and Umahi to sensitise the villagers against the evil of liquor.