Sangrur Hooch Tragedy: The special investigation team (SIT) formed to probe the Sangrur hooch tragedy has found methanol content in the spurious liquor that killed 20 people in Punjab's Sangrur. Methanol is a deadly chemical used in industrial products. ADGP Gurinder Dhillon, the head of SIT, said that the chemical was obtained by the accused from a factory located in Noida.
With the death toll rising to 20, six more people succumbed during treatment. 11 people are undergoing treatment at Patiala's Rajindra Hospital and six at the Civil Hospital in Sangrur. Casualties have been reported from Gujran, Tibbi Ravidaspura and Dhandoli Khurd villages in Dirba and Sunam blocks.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Sunday met the families of the deceased in Sangrur to offer his condolences and also expressed his grief over the tragic incident. He assured them that the killers won't be spared and will receive strict punishment according to the law.
Meanwhile, eight of the ten accused, including the two masterminds, Gurlal Singh of Ubhawal village in Sangrur and Harmanpreet Singh of Taipur village in Patiala have been arrested so far by the police. Police have also recovered spurious liquor and other equipment used for manufacturing and labelling it from their possession.
According to the police, Harmanpreet and Gurlal, who had a criminal past, had planned it when they were in the Sangrur jail. Harmanpreet used to make spurious liquor at home and sell it in bottles with the label of the liquor brand "Shahi" written in Hindi. The accused were selling the spurious alcohol through another arrested accused named Manpreet Singh. "The accused was targeting labourers to sell the spurious liquor at half price," ADGP Dhillon said.
ADGP Dhillon said police have papers regarding the procurement of methanol and have added Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC to investigate the role of factories from where they procured it. The accused had procured a total of 300 litres of methanol chemical. Three FIRs have been lodged at police stations Dirba, City Sunam and Cheema in this case and the stringent section 61-A of the Excise Act has been invoked in all three FIRs.
Taking cognisance of the case ahead of the Lok Sabha Polls, the Election Commission has also sought an immediate report from the Punjab chief secretary and the director general of police. In a letter, the Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C asked the two senior officials to submit preliminary and detailed reports regarding the incident.
(With Agency Inputs)