12 more cops transferred over hooch tragedy

As per a notification order released by Brajesh Kumar Jha, DGP (Administration), 12 police personnel attached with Local Crime Branch (LCB) and Special Operations Group (SOG) of Botad Police were transferred on Friday.

The 12 personnel ranking from Lok Rakshak Dal (LRD) constable to Assistant Sub Inspector of Police were transferred to Banaskantha, Dahod, Kutch-Bhuj, Surat Rural, Bharuch, Tapi, Valsad, Panchmahal, Bharuch, Mahisagar, Dahod and Chhota Udpepur.

Meanwhile, a three-member committee formed to investigate the hooch tragedy submitted its report to the Home Department on Friday night.

The committee headed by Subhash Trivedi, Inspector General of Police (CID Crime and Railways), was appointed on July 26, following the hooch tragedy and was given time till July 29 to submit its report on the reasons of the incident.

Over 42 persons have died in the villages of Ahmedabad and Botad after hundreds of residents allegedly consumed spurious liqour on Sunday night. According to police, the main accused Jayesh had stolen 600 litres of methanol chemical from Amos chemical company in Ahmedabad district and sold it as laththa (hooch).

Taking action against AMOS chemical factory being named in the alleged spurious liquor case, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) sealed its Lambha factory on Thursday.

Director Solid Waste Management Harshad Solanki told The Indian Express that AMC’s south zone office acted for not having the licence and thus issued a notice and sealed the factory on Wednesday.

However, a senior civic official said that the company was already sealed by the high-level committee probing the case and no one was present during the sealing process. The notice issued stated “running chemical business without a licence”.