Kolkata: The death toll reached 12 in the Shantipur hooch incident. 4 more persons died at the hospital since Wednesday, while several more were admitted. On the other hand, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shantipur police station, Sourav Chatterjee, was removed.
The death toll is feared to go up as more persons have been admitted on Thursday.
Though Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been ordered to probe the incident, the case handover process has not been completed yet. Sources informed that though the process in underway, the CID team and Nadia district police are working hand in hand to investigate and nab the suspected culprits.
On Thursday, four arrested persons were produced before the court and were remanded to 4 days police custody.
Eight people including a woman had died while 20 fell ill from Tuesday night till Wednesday. Four persons were arrested for their alleged connection with the hooch den at Shantipur. They were arrested on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (IPC 304), causing hurt by means of poison with intent to commit an offence (IPC 328) and sale of noxious food or drink (IPC 273).
State Finance minister Amit Mitra had on Wednesday announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to extend support to the family members of each of the deceased.
Eleven officers from the Excise department, including the Excise officer-in-charge of Shantipur circle and Deputy Excise Collector (DEC) of Ranaghat circle, have been suspended immediately after the incident.
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 had been brought into the state from Jharkhand and Bihar in vans and its distribution is not restricted to bordering districts only.