Even as the death toll in the hooch tragedy mounting continuously in two districts of Jorhat and Golaghat of eastern Assam, the two main accused in distributing the toxic liquor in Jorhat district have been arrested from Baksa.
Jitu Sonowal and Sunil Baruah who are alleged to have distributed the adulterated liquor at Bajalikota in Titabor Sub-Division were arrested from Baksa on Sunday night.
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Jorhat SP Vaibhav Nimbalkar said those arrested in connection with the hooch tragedy were Ramesh Tayed (48 yrs), son of Purnakanta Tayed, Dilip Norah (48 yrs), son of Abang Norah, Bholaram Paying (40 yrs), son of Gopiram Paying and that all three were residents of Gorajan Mishing gaon under Borholla police station.
Five others who were arrested were Rupa Bora Kachari, (70 yrs), wife of late Pradip Kachari and a resident of Rajabari gaon under Borholla police station, Puhiti Chutia (50 yrs), wife of late Tarun Chutia, resident of Bekajan 36 gharia, under Borholla police station, Lakhu Rai (33 yrs), son of Padum Rai, resident of Rajabari tea estate, Jitu Sonowal (34 yrs), son of Bolin Sonowal and esident of Orungial, and Sunil Baruah (41 yrs), son of late Tileswar Baruah and resident of Orungial, all under Borholla police station.
Nimbalkar further said that 241000 litre of illicit liquor had been destroyed in Jorhat district from February 1 up to Sunday.
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The district administration informed that the total number of deaths in Jorhat district till date were 59 (43 males and 16 females), out of which 20 had died in Borholla and 39 in Jorhat Medical College and Hospital here.
In JMCH, another 39 belonging to Golaghat district have also died.
Out of the 247 patients still undergoing treatment (male 220, female 27), eight are said to be critical.
Meanwhile, on Monday, hundreds of women at Borholla in Titabor sub-division of eastern Assam’s Jorhat district took it upon themselves to destroy places where illicit liquor were stored or sold.
On the other hand several organizations in Jorhat and Titabar sub-divisions in the district took out rallies decrying the role of the government in not exercising control over illegal liquor manufacture and sale on Monday.
Borholla College students also took out a silent procession at Titabar and in Jorhat, Assam Tea Tribes Students Association, Mahila Congress and Madh Mukto Samiti took out rallies and blocked AT Road demanding the ban on ‘lali gur‘ and increase in ex gratia payment to the kin of deceased from Rs two lakh to Rs five lakh.