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Another hooch tragedy hits West Bengal, 7 dead

Locals allege that most of the daily wage earners of the area are addicted to hooch and spend most of their earnings on it.

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At least seven persons have died and 19 others have fallen sick in West Bengal's Nadia district after consuming spurious liquor on Wednesday. While three of them died at Purba Burdwan's Kalna Sub-divisional Hospital, four died at Shantipur area in Nadia.

Hospital sources said that three of the 19 hospitalised are in a critical condition. The incident took place a day before Mamata Banerjee arrived in Burdwan district to attend administrative meetings.

Locals allege that units manufacturing country liquor at Nischintopur in Nadia district have been running with impunity for a long time despite several people complaining about it to the police.

The deceased have been identified as Gautam Sharma, Munna Rai, Kashinath Mahato, Sunil Mahato, Dulacharan Mahato, Buta Mahato, and Bhaloa Mahato.

Locals allege that most of the daily wage earners of the area are addicted to hooch and spend most of their earnings on it.

Nadia District Magistrate Sumit Gupta, talking to DNA, confirmed the deaths. He said, "It has been alleged that they have died after consuming hooch. Their bodies have been sent for post mortem and only after reports arrive can it be told for sure if the allegations are true."

He also said that a complaint against local hooch dealers has been received and police were looking for them. "The accused are absconding. Police have initiated search operations. The state government has also granted a relief of Rs 2 lakh to each of the families of the deceased. The compensation process has been initiated and in a day or two the next to kin of the dead will get the cheque," Gupta said.

Alipore district and sessions court on September 28 gave life sentence to four for their involvement in the hooch tragedy in South 24 Parganas district which claimed 172 lives and caused health issues among hundreds of others in December, 2011.

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