Sagar Spurious Liquor Tragedy: NHRC Team Meets Families Of Victims In Sagar After 20 Die & Over 100 Hospitalised

Sagar Hooch Tragedy: A team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday met the families of victims of the spurious liquor tragedy in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district and directed the police to take strict action in the matter.

The team asked the police to immediately record the statements of the victims’ kin, as some of them claimed that this had not yet been done, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said.

At least 20 people have died so far due to the alleged consumption of spurious liquor in Banda tehsil, while several others are undergoing treatment at Bundelkhand Medical College Hospital. Some of them have lost their eyesight.

Police have so far arrested 19 of the 30 accused in the case. The main accused, Manish Lodhi alias Yashwant Rajput, is still absconding.

NHRC Meets Families

The NHRC team, led by Kanoongo, met the families in Jagthar and Ghugar villages.

Speaking to reporters later, Kanoongo said that the victims’ relatives informed him that the police had not recorded their statements even after several days.

“This incident is extremely unfortunate. Many people were injured. In such a situation, the police have a huge responsibility. All legal provisions must be followed. We have instructed the police to immediately record their statements.... The families allege that the police have neither taken statements from the local liquor suppliers nor taken any action,” he said.

He also requested the police to list all liquor agents in the district and take strict action against them, Kanoongo added.

The NHRC member also expressed surprise that the liquor which resulted in the deaths had been sourced from government-permitted shops.

Madhya Pradesh minister Govind Singh Rajput had recently visited the hospital and met the victims’ families.

He had also announced that the families would receive compensation.