Sagar Spurious Liquor Tragedy: 22 Dead, 112 Hospitalised

The death toll in the Sagar spurious liquor tragedy has risen to 22, with 112 people still hospitalised. The victims, mostly men between 30 and 50 years old, complained of blurred vision and dizziness before falling ill.

The deceased include a woman, and many of those hospitalised have blue patches on their bodies. The latest victim died in the afternoon, and postmortems suggest suspected poisoning.

The police have registered cases against 30 people and arrested 14 suspects in connection with the incident. The government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the bereaved families and instituted a magisterial enquiry into the incident.

The suspected cause of the deaths is methanol poisoning, with the liquor possibly laced with methanol instead of ethanol. Doctors have reported that many of the victims complained of blurred vision and gasped for breath before dying.

The condition of the hospitalised patients has improved compared to Sunday, when the hospitals were overwhelmed with patients. The police have arrested 14 of the 30 people named as suspects in three FIRs registered in connection with the tragedy.

The Sagar collector has said that a preliminary investigation indicated that the liquor had been supplied from Lalitpur. However, the UP Excise department of Lalitpur has denied any connection to the Sagar hooch tragedy, stating that those named in the case are residents of Banda and have no connection to Uttar Pradesh.

The incident has raised concerns about the supply of spurious liquor in the region. The government has promised to take action against those involved in the racket.

The tragedy has also highlighted the need for stricter regulations and enforcement to prevent the sale of spurious liquor. The incident is a reminder of the dangers of consuming illicit liquor and the importance of ensuring the safety and quality of alcoholic beverages.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the government has announced plans to increase surveillance and enforcement in the region to prevent similar incidents in the future. The incident has also sparked calls for greater awareness and education about the dangers of spurious liquor and the importance of responsible drinking.