HC asks govt to pay compensation to liquor tragedy victims

Kochi, Jun 2 (UNI) Kerala High Court today directed the state government to pay Rs one lakh each to 26 victims of Vyppin liquor tragedy.

The amount should be paid in two months and the government was at liberty to realise the amount from the abkari contractors who supplied spurious arrack through licenced arrack shops and also from the Excise officials concerned who wer responsibe for dereliction of duty, the court said.

Mr Justice C N Ramachandran Nair issued the order following a judgement of the division bench in July 2001 by which compensation was granted to another 56 victims of the tragedy.

Seventy-one persons were killed and 19 persons lost their eyes in the 1982 liquor tragedy during Onam festival.

UNI XR GM SB RK2005