The casualty of the hooch tragedy in Assam continues to swell as the death toll reached 133 on Sunday, even as 150 are still struggling for their lives in hospitals.
Assam Additonal DGP (Law and Order) Mukesh Agarwala said that police have arrested ten people –three from Jorhat and seven others from Golaghat for their allehged involvement in selling illegal spurious liquor on Saturday morning.
He further said that police investigation is on to trace more culprits involved in the crime.
The state excise department on the other hand have also intensified its operation against the menace of illegal country liquor and arrested 20 persons till Sunday morning. The excise sleuths said that 90 cases have already been registered and thousands of litres of country liquor have been destroyed in different districts.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday visited Jorhat Medical College and Hospital to take stock of the victims affected by spurious liquor undergoing treatment there and directed the Health Department to take all necessary steps.
The chief minister held a meeting with Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other top officials of the state government at Brahmaputra State Guest House on Saturday and asked them to ensure a complete ban on the sell of illegal liquor.
He also expressed his deepest condolences to the family of those who died in the incident.
The chief minister announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those who died and Rs 50 thousand to the victims who are undergoing treatment. He also directed the JMCH authorities to provide even better medical facilities required by the victims without any cost.