Samajwadi Party and Congress here have come out demanding justice for the families of the villagers who had recently died after consuming spurious liquor in the district.

To demand justice for the families of the three villagers who had recently died after consuming spurious liquor, a panchayat was organised on the behest of Samajwadi Party in Meerpur Jakhera Village of Shivalkhas area of the district on Wednesday.

The panchayat, headed by Rajpal Singh, district president of Samajwadi Party in Meerut and another senior leader Atul Pradhan, was also attended by area residents, family members of the deceased villagers, Samajwadi Party leaders and Jila panchayat members.

This panchayat was organised to raise the voice of justice for the kin of three villagers who had lost their lives to spurious liquor. The leaders holding the panchayat demanded a relief of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased. SP’s District President Rajpal Singh said that those who are selling spurious liquor are doing this under the patronization of police and excise officials and said that the Samajwadi Party would continue to raise its voice against it.

Last week 11 villagers, all labourers, died after consuming spurious liquor in Meerapur Jakhera and Dunger villages of Meerut and Chamrawal Village of Baghpat.

To take the matter further, Samajwadi Party would also demonstrate at the excise office in their bid to highlight the failure of the department in putting a check on the sale and consumption of spurious liquor which takes human lives from time to time.

Not only here, the intake of spurious liquor has caused the death of people across the state, said SP leader Atul Pradhan who also charged the police and excise department for giving shelter to the traders of spurious liquor. He also attacked the Yogi government for taking no action against the officials after these recent deaths.

Samajwadi Party leaders, however, were shown black flags and asked to leave from there. Rajpal Singh claimed that they were the hired men of BJP MLA from Shivalkhas Jitendra Satwai. “Have you ever seen people opposing the opposition party leaders for raising their issues?” Quipped Rajpal adding that these hired men could not dampen their spirits and they would continue this fight.

Meanwhile, Congress protested at excise office and handed over a memorandum to district excise officer Alok Kumar demanding compensation to the kin of the deceased. The party is planning to organise a bigger protest at the office of the divisional commissioner on September 21 on this issue, informed district president of the party Avneesh Kajla.

Kajla said that Congress is demanding compensation for the poor families of the deceased and an effective check on the sale of spurious liquor in the district.

Circle officer of Sardhana Sanjeev Dixit said that a case has been lodged against a person after the stock of liquor was confiscated from his residence. The samples of this liquor have been sent for testing and further action would be taken up after getting the report, said the CO.