With more deaths being reported from Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh and Haridwar district in Uttarakhand, the hooch tragedy toll has gone up to 69 now since Friday, according to official figures. While the Saharanpur district administration has confirmed 46 deaths, Haridwar puts the figure at 23.

With many units involved in producing spurious liquor being located in the Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border area, joint efforts of the two states are likely to help in curbing the menace.

“I have interacted on phone with UP Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath and we have decided to form a joint committee to identify the truth,” said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Both governments have announced ex gratia relief for the families of the hooch tragedy victims.

READ | Hooch tragedy toll rises

Saharanpur District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey confirmed 46 deaths in the UP district, and said viscera reports were awaited. He said 27 people had been referred to Meerut Medical College and Hospital. As many as 16 of the 27 patients died late Friday night. The Meerut hospital said 11 persons were undergoing treatment.

Dr Harshwardhan, Casualty Medical Officer at Meerut Medical College and Hospital said seven of the 16 patients had been “brought dead” while the rest died during treatment. He said the 11 others had been kept under observation and doctors were trying their best to save them.

He said the critically ill villagers were brought to the hospital one after the other around 11 pm onwards on Friday.

At a press conference on Friday, the Saharanpur DM had told reporters that people from Umahi, Sarbatpur, Mali and Salempur villages of Nangal and Gagalheri area of Saharanpur district had gone to Balupur village in the neighbouring Hardwar district in Uttarakhand to attend the “Terhavi” (a post- death ritual) of someone and had consumed liquor after a mass dinner. One Pintu of Umahi also brought some pouches of liquor and sold these to villagers.

Officials said 14 villagers died after consuming the liquor they bought from Pintu. Pintu too had consumed this liquor, as did his father Balram, brother Jal Singh, uncle Shyamu and Rajkumar. All five members of the family died on Friday.

READ | Hooch served in Uttarakhand village claims many lives

Umahi was worst hit by the hooch tragedy and the village head Mumtaj Ali listed 23 names of dead and sick after personally visiting the families. Ali said a total of 14 people have had lost their lives since Friday morning and nine were undergoing treatment in different hospitals.

According to him, most of those who died were aged below 40 and have left behind young children in the age group of 3 to 17 years.

In Uttarakhand, Bindukharak village was the worst affected. While the Haridwar administration claimed at least 23 deaths, locals said the toll was over 30.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and AICC general secretary Harish Rawat visited the affected village, while many other leaders including state Congress president Pritam Singh visited the civil hospital in Roorkee to enquire about the health of the victims admitted there.

Besides Bindukhata, deaths were reported from Balupur, Faswagarh and Sabatwali village in Haridwar district.

The Uttarakhand government announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the seriously ill.

While UP had announced the ex gratia on Friday, the Uttarakhand government acted almost 24 hours late in announcing the relief. In UP, after CM Adityanath made an announcement to the effect, Rs 2 lakh was given to the families of 16 victims who were declared dead on Friday. The Saharanpur DM said others would also get it soon.

Demands are pouring in to increase the amount. Bheem Army chief Chandrashekha, who hails from Saharanpur, has demanded Rs 25 lakh ex gratia for the families and a job for a family member. Chandrasekhar and district president Kamal Walia also attended the funeral of four of the hooch tragedy victims in the village.

In Uttarakhand, former CM Harish Rawat demand an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh and government job for one member of the deceased’s family.

Meanwhile, Saharanpur SSP Dinesh Kumar P suspended ten policemen including the inspector, two sub-inspectors and four constables of Nangal police station and also two sub-inspectors and two constables of Gagalheri police station.

He also recommended suspension of excise inspectors of Sadar and Deoband area and the district excise officer of Saharanpur for negligence in discharging their duties.