Congress calls for Ganjam Bandh tomorrow

Berhampur, Apr 26 (UNI) The Ganjam District Congress Committee has called for Ganjam bandh on April 27 demanding resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the series of hooch tragedies in the district for the past two months.

DCC president and Gopalpur MLA Trinath Behera, who welcomed the resignation of State Excise Minister Kalindi Behera, said the Congress would continue the agitation till the Chief Minister tendered his resignation.

He said the Chief Minister was also equally responsible for the hooch tragedy as he had taken no action against the unholy nexus between the bootleggers and the ruling party members Meanwhile, police had arrested three bootleggers in Golabandha village and seized about 200 lt of ID liquor from their house.

The Golabandh hooch tragedy had so far claimed ten lives, while nearly 45 others were being treated in the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here. All of them had bought liquor from the arrested three bootleggers.

Police also started investigation to ascertain the source of the illicit liquor.

The Orissa government yesterday transferred the State Excise Commissioner in the wake of the series of liquor tragedies in the district.

The government also announced that the Judicial Commission instituted to probe the March 19 liquor tragedy in the district would investigate the Golabandh liquor tragedy. At least 26 people were killed in the March 19 hooch tragedy in three villages under Rambha police station.

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