Amid speculations of a higher figure, death toll in the Saharanpur hooch tragedy has gone up to 34, according to official figures. Death of 16 persons in was reported late Friday night at Meerut Medical College Hospital where 11 more people are undergoing treatment.
Earlier in the day on Friday, Saharanpur officials had confirmed 18 deaths in different villages of Nangal, Gagalheri and Deoband area. With 16 more deaths at the Meerut hospital, the figure goes up to 34.
Dr Harshwardhan, Casualty Medical Officer of Meerut Medical College Hospital, confirmed the deaths of 16, adding that seven of them were already dead when brought to the hospital. The nine other died during treatment. He said 11 patients had been kept under observation and doctors were trying to save them.
According to Dr Harshwardhan, the critically ill villagers were brought to the hospital one after another around 11 pm onwards on Friday. He said the patients were given immediate attention and provided best possible treatment.
READ | Hooch served in Uttarakhand village claims many lives
Saharanpur District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey told reporters on Friday that people from Umahi, Sarbatpur, Mali and Salempur villages of Nangal and Gagalheri area of Saharanpur district had gone to Balupur village of neighbouring Hardwar district in Uttarakhand to attend the “Terahvi” (a ritual after death) of someone. After a mass dinner there, they consumed liquor. One Pintu of Umahi also brought some pouches of liquor and gave these to the villagers. He had also consumed the same liquor and is among those who died.
While the Haridwar district administration also reported 13 deaths in the hooch tragedy, it was not immediately known if the figures included the fatalities on the UP side or not. The Uttarakhand excise department suspended 13 staff members and action was taken against four policemen for negligence in duty.
In UP too, Saharanpur SSP Dinesh Kumar P suspended 10 policemen, including the inspector of Nangal police station, two sub-inspectors and four constables. Others who were suspended include one sub-inspector and two constables of Gagalheri police station.
The district magistrate also recommended suspension of excise inspectors of Sadar and Deoband area and the district excise officer of Saharanpur for negligence in discharging their duties.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a probe into the incident and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who died and Rs 50,000 each to those undergoing treatment.