Spurious liquor tragedy toll rises to 57

The death toll in spurious liquor tragedy rocking Bangalore and villages on Karnataka’s border with Tamil Nadu rose to 57 yesterday.

Police said most of the victims had consumed the illicitly brewed liquor, which had been spiked with chemicals, on Saturday night.

A total of 22 deaths were reported from different parts of Bangalore, particularly Devarjeevanahalli on the outskirts of the City, while the death toll in Kolar district rose to 19 on Monday.

Most of the 16 persons, who had died in Krishnagiri in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, had bought the lethal brew from villages in Karnataka, police said.

At least 20 others, who had also consumed the spurious liquor, were battling for life in various Government hospitals in Bangalore. Similiarly, 10 more persons were reported to be in a serious condition in Kolar after drinking the illicit liquor.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Government announced a compensation of Rs 10,000 each to the next of kin of the victims and ordered a probe into the liquor tragedy.

The police arrested eight vendors in Kolar district while efforts were continuing to trace the culprits behind sale of the illicit liquor in Bangalore City’s Devarjeevanahalli.

The tragedy has sparked off a political debate in election-bound Karnataka with political parties blaming each other for the deaths on account of consumption of illicit liquor.

Congress party leader B Janardhan Poojary blamed the erstwhile JD (S)-BJP coalition’s decision to ban sale of arrack in the state to the present tragedy. The then Government’s decision to prohibit sale of arrack encouraged bootleggers to prepare the illegal liquor, which has now claimed so many lives. “The JD (S) and BJP should be held directly responsible for this tragedy”, he said.

But, BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa said his party was behind the coalition Government’s rule to ban arrack. “But, the JD (S) and Congress were supplying illegal liquor to woo voters”, he said.

JD (S) leader H D Revanna called for immediate arrest of excise department officials, who had turned a blind eye to manufacture, sale and distribution of illegal liquor in the state.