Waiting for arrival of viscera report to know exact cause of deaths, says CP

Three persons namely Debi, Manga and Rinku lost their lives after consuming liquor. The police have registered an FIR against the wine shop owner, from where the victims aged between 40-45 years purchased the liquor.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Swapan Sharma said 17 boxes of raspberry brand were seized and the same would be sent for testing. “The police are getting every detail and we are waiting for the arrival of the viscera report. The exact cause of the deaths could be established once the report is out,” he said.

The deceased were residents of Sanyas Nagar, near Noorwala Road, and the liquor was purchased from ‘Kaddu ahata’. After purchasing the liquor, they sat in a vacant plot and consumed the same, following which they lost consciousness and began frothing at the mouth. They were rushed to the Civil Hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.

When asked if the liquor was poisonous, one of the police officials said it could be spurious but certainly not poisonous.

Highly placed sources revealed that doctors were ‘tight-lipped’ over the incident. “There was no smell of alcohol coming from them when they were brought to the hospital,” said a source from the district administration.

Three persons lost their lives and the authorities were yet to ascertain the exact cause of death. The AAP government is already under criticism for its campaign “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” as many videos were going viral in which youth were openly seen under the influence of drugs. Following the hooch tragedy at Amritsar where over 26 persons had lost their lives, this is the second such incident in the state. However, the authorities claimed it was not poisonous liquor. Meanwhile, relatives of the deceased had gathered outside the Civil Hospital mortuary. They refused to talk to the media. Raj Kumar, brother of deceased Rinku, said his brother used to consume liquor daily. When asked if he consumed anything other than liquor, he said: “He used to put something in paper, fold it and consumed the same at times.”

The relatives of the victims faced inconvenience in the extreme weather conditions while waiting to receive the bodies at the hospital.

Another person who was accompanying a relative of one of the victims said they were not even made to sit and the police and doctors were busy with their tasks. “No one is giving us the exact cause of victims’ death and we are confused and upset with such an approach of the authorities,” said a man who came from Gurgaon to get the body of his relative from the Civil Hospital.

The police have lodged an FIR under Sections 105 and 3 (5) of the BNS and Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act.

Meanwhile, Gurdev Sharma Debi, treasurer, city BJP, has announced compensation of Rs 1 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.

Ludhiana