In less than a week, West Bengal suffered another major blow as 131 people, mostly rickshaw pullers, labourers and hawkers, died and over 100 were hospitalised after consuming spurious liquor in a village here.
The liquor tragedy, one of the worst in India, occurred in Sangrampur in South 24 Parganas district. Last Friday, a huge fire tragedy killed 93 people in a south Kolkata hospital.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered a Criminal Investigation Department probe into the liquor deaths in Sangrampur, barely 50 km from capital Kolkata.
The victims, who had Tuesday night visited some illegal liquor dens near Sangrampur railway station in the village, were mostly from the poorest sections of society. Sangrampur falls under the Diamond Harbour sub-divisional headquarter.
"So far 131 people have died," said Shikha Adhikari, district chief medical officer, Health.
Eight people have been arrested for supplying moonshine in the area, said district police superintendent L.N. Meena.
A health official said the victims died of cardio-respiratory failure due to methyl poisoning. Most victims belonged to Usthi, Mandirbazar and Magrahat police station areas.
Official sources said more people have been admitted to hospitals since Wednesday evening. Patients were coming in even Thursday and the toll was likely to rise, they said.
The Diamond Harbour Sub-Divisional Hospital has been earmarked as the nodal treatment centre for those taken ill after drinking the liquor.
"Altogether 327 people were brought to this hospital. Of them 35 were declared brought dead, 68 died in the hospital. Twenty five died in other hospitals, including those in Kolkata, where they were referred," Adhikari said.
"Joint raids by police, CID officials and excise department personnel are on to nail the culprits," said Meena.
A manhunt has been launced to nab prime suspect Khora Badshah, a known bootlegger who operates from Magrahat.
The chemical mixed in the liquor has not yet been identified, said district magistrate N.S. Nigam.
The opposition Left Front has decided to take out a condolence rally from Sangrampur railway station Thursday.
Those taken ill have been admitted to the Diamond Harbour Hospital, health centres and nursing homes. Some have been shifted to Kolkata.
"From around 2 am on Wednesday, people started vomiting, had loose motions and complained of serious stomach pain," said a Sangrampur resident. Locals said quite a few people died outside hospital as well.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs.2 lakh each for the families of the dead.
This is one of the worst liquor tragedies in India. Earlier in 1992, over 200 people had died in Orissa after consuming spurious liquor. In 2009, a similar incident in Gujarat left 136 dead.
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