Hooch kills 12 in Ghaziabad; toll 19

On Wednesday,12 more deaths were reported from villages in Simbhaoli area of Garh Mukteshwar. Superintendent of Police (Rural) M M Baig confirmed that consumption of spurious liquor was the cause of the deaths. Four others are admitted in Anand Hospital in Meerut and are reportedly in a critical state.

Senior police officers visited the villages following reports of the deaths. SP M M Baig said,“We have come to know that most of those who died today had purchased liquor from a nearby shop and consumed it on Holi. We have raided the shop and seized goods,which are being inspected.”

Ghaziabad District Magistrate R Ramesh Kumar,meanwhile,said,“Only four persons have died today (due to hooch) — Pramod (25),Prem Singh (52),Upendra (32),Ravindra (42) of Dhana village. The reason for the other deaths is under investigation. We have detained two salesmen,Anand and Amit,whereas the shop owner,Tukki Pandit,is absconding.”