Naveen orders judicial probe into Ganjam deaths

Bhubaneswar, Mar 20 (UNI) Amid Opposition walkout in Orissa Assembly demanding a House Committee over the death of 15 people in liquor tragedy in Ganjam, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced a judicial probe into the causes of death.

Mr Patnaik who intervened during a debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion on the death of people in the liquor tragedy in Ganjam district, said he was grieved at the death of 15 people in the last two days.

'' My government has decided to request the High Court Chief Justice to nominate either a sitting judge or a retired judge to probe these deaths under the Commission of Inquiry Act,'' the Chief Minister said.

The government came under severe criticism from the Opposition for taking a casual approach in the death of so many people in illicit liquor tragedy in Ganjam and demanded that either a house committee be constituted to investigate into the incident or a judicial inquiry be ordered within a time frame to probe into the deaths.

As State Excise Minister Kalindi Behera rejected the demand for a house committee and maintained that the government was yet to ascertain the cause of death and waiting for the viscera test report, the Opposition walked out in protest alleging that the government was trying to suppress the facts.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who then entered the House stood up to announce a judicial inquiry into the causes of the death under the Commission of Inquiry Act.

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