SANGRAMPUR (W BENGAL): Toxic liquor claimed 143 lives in Bengal, the toll trebling overnight on Wednesday as daily wagers who composed most of the victims died unattended in the late hours. The deaths enraged villagers of Sangrampur in South 24-Parganas district and lots of people, from teenagers to 70-year-olds, ransacked one hooch den to another and torched the houses of hooch sellers.
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Ten everyone was arrested in connection with the hooch trade, but Khoda Badshah (lame king), the don of the local liquor mafia, was on the run. The sufferers had all drunk in the same stock - possibly laced with toxic methanol - sold at several vends.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a police probe as she attempted to steady her government that's been grappling with one disaster to another. "I don't wish to do politics with this particular tragedy. Let all parties come together and find a way," Mamata said, calling an all-party meet on Monday.
She hinted at "patronage through the previous ruling party" but added that illicit liquor would be a statewide problem. "If hooch sellers turn to legal businesses, just like a tea stall or fruit shop, their state will help them," she said.
Because the bodies from the hooch victims were delivered to the village of Sangrampur in South 24-Parganas, tempers flared andlocalsdirectedtheir anger as much at the police for neglecting to rein in the illegal trade. A police camp near the Sangrampur railway station was attacked and cops fled as the mob continued the rampage. "There's a policeman in the local outpost who'd collect money regularly. For this reason the policeturned a blindeyeto the spurious liquor outlets, which are just over the road," saidKarim Gazi, a vegetable vendor.
Gazi saw several neighbours dying after eating and enjoying hooch,known locally ascholai andsoldin polythene packsfor as low as Rs 10, on Wednesday morning. The victims were mostly poor vendors who sold fish and vegetables and relativessaid many diedfor lackof medical attention.
A lot more than 1,000 women and men from the impacted areas of Sangrampur, armed with rods, brought down the hooch shacks. The first shack was of Shiekh Yasin near the station. The homes of Khairul Bibi and Ayan Ali, both hooch sellers,were ransacked andseveral people were injured.
Locals asserted time was lost organizing vanstoferry patients to Diamond Harbour and Kolkata. "Few had the money to cover a van-rickshaw. Many victims died at home, with no treatment," said Giasuddin Mollah.
If you are unaware of the latest news make sure you go through Breaking News and Hot News.
Mamata Banerjee's government on Wednesday announced compensation for that hooch victims' kin. But problems have arisen as some didn't die in hospital or the cause of death was not mentioned in their death certificates.
Some of the people who died were buried without autopsy as well as their names don't feature in the official listing of victims. Though most of the families are poor, they aren't ready to exhume bodies to pick up the Rs 2 lakh compensation. Over 20 bodies were buried without post mortem, police say.
Khairul Gazi (48) of Khanpur village of Sangrampur was one of the primary to die at Diamond Harbour hospital. Yet, he is not one of many victims. Gazi was taken to hospital on Tuesday night, his brother Absar Ali says. "My brother drank poison liquor on Tuesday morning and complained of a burning sensation. We admitted him to hospital but his condition worsened. He died early on Wednesday. A doctor did not mention hooch in the death certificate with no post mortem was conducted. On Wednesday morning, we buried him. We're against exhuming the body," Ali says.
N S Nigam, DM, South 24-Parganas, said when autopsy was conducted, photographs were taken to facilitate the compensation payment.
He said if someone was not autopsied following the death from hooch, it would be difficult to give compensation.
If you are unaware of the latest news make sure you go through Breaking News and Hot News.
Ten everyone was arrested in connection with the hooch trade, but Khoda Badshah (lame king), the don of the local liquor mafia, was on the run. The sufferers had all drunk in the same stock - possibly laced with toxic methanol - sold at several vends.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a police probe as she attempted to steady her government that's been grappling with one disaster to another. "I don't wish to do politics with this particular tragedy. Let all parties come together and find a way," Mamata said, calling an all-party meet on Monday.
She hinted at "patronage through the previous ruling party" but added that illicit liquor would be a statewide problem. "If hooch sellers turn to legal businesses, just like a tea stall or fruit shop, their state will help them," she said.
Because the bodies from the hooch victims were delivered to the village of Sangrampur in South 24-Parganas, tempers flared andlocalsdirectedtheir anger as much at the police for neglecting to rein in the illegal trade. A police camp near the Sangrampur railway station was attacked and cops fled as the mob continued the rampage. "There's a policeman in the local outpost who'd collect money regularly. For this reason the policeturned a blindeyeto the spurious liquor outlets, which are just over the road," saidKarim Gazi, a vegetable vendor.
Gazi saw several neighbours dying after eating and enjoying hooch,known locally ascholai andsoldin polythene packsfor as low as Rs 10, on Wednesday morning. The victims were mostly poor vendors who sold fish and vegetables and relativessaid many diedfor lackof medical attention.
A lot more than 1,000 women and men from the impacted areas of Sangrampur, armed with rods, brought down the hooch shacks. The first shack was of Shiekh Yasin near the station. The homes of Khairul Bibi and Ayan Ali, both hooch sellers,were ransacked andseveral people were injured.
Locals asserted time was lost organizing vanstoferry patients to Diamond Harbour and Kolkata. "Few had the money to cover a van-rickshaw. Many victims died at home, with no treatment," said Giasuddin Mollah.
If you are unaware of the latest news make sure you go through Breaking News and Hot News.
Mamata Banerjee's government on Wednesday announced compensation for that hooch victims' kin. But problems have arisen as some didn't die in hospital or the cause of death was not mentioned in their death certificates.
Some of the people who died were buried without autopsy as well as their names don't feature in the official listing of victims. Though most of the families are poor, they aren't ready to exhume bodies to pick up the Rs 2 lakh compensation. Over 20 bodies were buried without post mortem, police say.
Khairul Gazi (48) of Khanpur village of Sangrampur was one of the primary to die at Diamond Harbour hospital. Yet, he is not one of many victims. Gazi was taken to hospital on Tuesday night, his brother Absar Ali says. "My brother drank poison liquor on Tuesday morning and complained of a burning sensation. We admitted him to hospital but his condition worsened. He died early on Wednesday. A doctor did not mention hooch in the death certificate with no post mortem was conducted. On Wednesday morning, we buried him. We're against exhuming the body," Ali says.
N S Nigam, DM, South 24-Parganas, said when autopsy was conducted, photographs were taken to facilitate the compensation payment.
He said if someone was not autopsied following the death from hooch, it would be difficult to give compensation.
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