Kolkata: Eight people including a woman died and 20 fell ill, after consuming spurious liquor at Shantipur in Nadia. Four persons have been arrested in this connection.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to extend support to the family members of each of the deceased. At the same time, a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been ordered and eleven excise officers have been suspended.
It is suspected that spurious liquor was brought into the state from Bihar and Jharkhand and CID has been directed to probe the incident to reach the root of the racket, in order to check repetition of such incidents in future.
Stating that he had a conversation over the incident with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, state Finance minister Amit Mitra said: "Eleven officers have been suspended, so that it is felt that it is their obligation. Excise officer-in-charge of Shantipur circle and his predecessor, eight constables and the deputy excise collector of Ranaghat range, were suspended immediately after the incident. The present excise officer-in-charge was posted recently. So, the officer who was in the post before him has also been suspended."
He further said he has come to know that condition of sixteen people who had been initially admitted in hospital, is not that serious. 4 more persons were admitted later in the evening. He further said that the District Magistrate has visited the hospital and he has also been directed to ensure that families of the deceased get Rs 2 lakh each to support themselves in such a situation.
According to locals, people in and around Nrisinghapur area in Shantipur started falling sick since Tuesday night. Within a few hours, several people were taken to the nearby Kalna Hospital, with symptoms like vomiting and stomach ache. Seven people, including a woman, died at the hospital on Wednesday morning, while another passed away in the evening.
Locals informed that the majority of the deceased and the sick are brick field labourers. Police were informed immediately after the incident. The district administration was also informed.
Mitra stressed that it was heard from local people that spurious liquor was brought into the state from Jharkhand and Bihar in vans and its distribution is not restricted to bordering districts only.
"So, the state government has directed CID to carry out a probe to completely uproot the menace," he said.