Prayagraj: At least seven people died and 15 others were hospitalised after allegedly drinking spurious liquor in a village here, reports have said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday ordered stern action under the stringent Gangster Act against those found selling spurious liquor in the state.
The incident took place on Friday in Amliya village under Gangapar Phulpur Police Station in the district, according to police.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Sarvashreshtha Tripathi, said that several people were admitted to Swarooprani Nehru Hospital as a precautionary measure.
He said that the district administration officials and police are identifying more people who drank the spurious liquor and they are being sent to the hospital.
Locals say the victims consumed country liquor from a government-licensed shop last night. Soon after, several people fell ill. The husband-wife duo who ran the liquor shop have been arrested.
"A team of district officials reached Amilia village after receiving information about the deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor," an official said adding that the samples of liquor have been sent for testing.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, meanwhile, on Saturday said the BJP Government is not bothered about the health and life of the common people. Yadav said despite the tall claims by the chief minister, the spurious liquor business has been registering speedy growth in the state.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too attacked the Yogi Adityanath government and asked why the state dispensation had not acted against the liquor mafia.
"There have been deaths due to toxic liquor in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, Firozabad, Hapur, Mathura, Prayagraj, as well as other places. Earlier, there had been deaths due to toxic liquor in Agra, Bagpat, and Meerut," Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
"What is the reason that apart from a few pretentious steps, the government was unable to take action against the toxic liquor mafia? Who is responsible?" she said, attacking the UP government.with agency inputs