Dimapur: Nagaland’s Mokokchung DC Ajit Kumar Verma on Saturday said eight people have died so far in the district due to consumption of suspected spurious liquor.
Addressing a joint press conference in his office, Verma said joint raids by the police and district administration across all subdivisions, including Mokokchung town, have led to 19 arrests for allegedly selling liquor.
He said the seized liquor would be destroyed and reiterated the administration’s zero-tolerance policy.
The first report of the deaths of four people at Mangkolemba in the district emerged on September 24 after consumption of spurious liquor. Two deaths each in Mangkolemba and Police Station-II area were reported on September 25.
Meanwhile, the Mokokchung district administration held an emergency coordination meeting in the DC’s office on Saturday with law enforcement agencies, ward authorities, village councils, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to deliberate on the matter.
At the meeting, it was resolved that there would be zero tolerance against the sale, transportation and storage of liquor.
It was said that the ongoing enforcement drive would be intensified by enforcement agencies in cooperation with the town/village/ward authorities and civil society organisations.
The district administration appealed to the village councils, ward/colony authorities, municipal/town councils, civil society organisations, relevant departments, and the public to extend active support and cooperation to enforcement agencies to implement strict measures related to alcohol prohibition in the district and to stop any further loss of life.