Hooch tragedy: 97 dead, families cry foul as UP Police, CM Yogi shift blame on others

Uttar Pradesh Police had said that a Saharanpur resident, identified as Pintu, may have brought 30 pouches of the spurious liquor from Uttarakhand to sell it back home. This, the police said, may have led to more casualties.

As the death toll in the twin hooch tragedies in Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring Uttarakhand touched 97, victims' families have accused Uttar Pradesh Police of trying to save itself by putting the blame on Uttarakhand. UP Police had earlier said that the illicit liquor, which claimed 97 lives in both the states, was brought into the state from Uttarakhand.

Uttar Pradesh Police had said that a Saharanpur resident, identified as Pintu, may have brought 30 pouches of the spurious liquor from Uttarakhand to sell it back home. This, the police said, may have led to more casualties.

Pintu's family, however, accused the Uttar Pradesh Police of shifting the blame on another state and claimed that the spurious liquor was bought from a person in a nearby town in Uttar Pradesh and not Uttarakhand. Pintu's brother Jitendra said that Pintu never went to Balupur in Haridwar. Pintu and five others in his family died after consuming the poisonous liquor on Friday (February 8).

Jitendra also said that Pintu did supply liquor illegally and even the police knew about it. "The police took cut money [hafta] from Pintu to let him sell liquor illegally," he said. Uttar Pradesh Police has, however, maintained that the liquor was brought in from neighbouring Uttarakhand.

Meanwhile, Saharanpur locals blocked roads in the city to protest over the deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor. They have also demanded free education and government jobs from the Yogi Adityanath government. "Our children should get free of cost education. Women who lost their husbands should be given jobs. Culprits should be given strict punishment," one of the protesters told ANI.

Saharanpur: Locals sit in protest and block road against the deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor. Protesters say "Our children should get free of cost education. Women who lost their husbands should be given jobs. Culprits should be given strict punishment." 

Courtesy : INDIA TODAY