Seven die in suspected hooch tragedy in South Orissa

Berhampur, Mar 19 (UNI) Spurious liquor has allegedly claimed at least seven lives in three villages during the past three days, but the district authority is yet to attribute these deaths to spurious liquor.

Report reaching here today said six people died in Gada Humma, Baunsiapada and Khajuriapada in Ganjam district on March 17 and 18 while one more death was reported today taking the total casualty to seven.

When contacted the district authority said they were waiting for the post mortem report of two bodies to ascertain the cause of death of these people in the villages.

The victims the are Bipin Das (60) of Bauri Sahi in Gada Humma, Ravi Nayak (35) and Kandha Das (85) of Baunsiapada and Budhhi Nayak, a lady who was residing at Bauri Sahi in Khajuriapada. Two more identified as Rabi Behera and Debahari Nayak have also died.

The police when contacted described the report as baseless.

Sources said Chatrapur MLA N.Narayan Reddy, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramkrupa Patnaik, Circle Inspector of Police Purushotampur Ashok Sahu, Tahasildars of Chatrapur and Rambha, Excise Superintendent and some other senior officers visited the villages yesterday.

The family members of the victims who narrated the episode to the Chatrapur MLA said the killer liquor was bought from the liquor shop of one Kama Mohanty at Gada Humma.

The villagers, however, had performed the last rites of four bodies on March 17 last. The police, however, managed to send the body of Debahari Nayak for postmortem after he died in Chatrapur Hospital.

Mr Reddy said he would soon meet Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and demand adequate compensation for the family members of the victims.

Purushotampur Circle Inspector of Police Ashok Sahu claimed that all these deaths were due to old age, illness and an impact of habitual drinking. He denied that the deaths were due to the consumption of spurious liquor.

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