<p>The death toll in Malad hooch tragedy climbed to 87 today even as the Excise department suspended four of its officials in connection with the incident.<br /><br />According to Mumbai Police spokesperson Dhanajay Kulkarni, 87 people have died so far while 34 are undergoing treatment at eight different hospitals across the city.<br /><br />The incident had occurred at Laxmi Nagar slum near Gamdevi Jurassic Park in Malwani in suburban Malad on Wednesday night.<br /><br />Police have already arrested five accused in the case, but the prime accused-- Mainka Bai-- is still on the run.<br /><br />"Earlier too, we had booked Mainka Bai alias Akka in connection with spurious liquor but she managed to get bail," Kulkarni said.<br /><br />The Excise officials who were suspended are: Jagdeesh Deshmukh, Rajendra Salunkhe, Versha Vengulkar and Dhanaji Dalvi against whom a departmental inquiry would be launched soon, said State Excise Department Commissioner Shyamsundar Shinde.<br /><br />"These officials were found to be incompetent and prima facie it is a case of dereliction of duty," Shinde told PTI.<br /><br />Also, eight personnel attached to Malwani police station have been suspended after the incident.<br />Earlier, the highest death toll in a hooch tragedy stood at 87 in suburban Vikhroli in December 2005.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have launched a search for others who might have consumed spurious liquor that day.<br /><br />"We are checking every home in the vicinity and asking them whether they consumed liquor on that day. We found eight such persons and have admitted them to a nearby hospital," said a police official.<br /><br />The Excise department in the last one year booked 117 cases of distribution of hooch in Malwani.<br />Antop Hill police raided an illegal shop in Sion-Koliwada Area and and seized 40 litres of illicit liquor.</p>.<p><br />"We had information of illicit liquor being sold in the area. So we raided the shop and seized the liquor," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4), Ashok Dudhe said.<br /><br />"City Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has instructed all DCPs to crack down on illicit liquor shops and this raid is the operative part of Maria's instruction," he added.<br /><br />Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde visited Malad to take stock of the situation while Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam held a demonstration out Malwani Police station.</p>
<p>The death toll in Malad hooch tragedy climbed to 87 today even as the Excise department suspended four of its officials in connection with the incident.<br /><br />According to Mumbai Police spokesperson Dhanajay Kulkarni, 87 people have died so far while 34 are undergoing treatment at eight different hospitals across the city.<br /><br />The incident had occurred at Laxmi Nagar slum near Gamdevi Jurassic Park in Malwani in suburban Malad on Wednesday night.<br /><br />Police have already arrested five accused in the case, but the prime accused-- Mainka Bai-- is still on the run.<br /><br />"Earlier too, we had booked Mainka Bai alias Akka in connection with spurious liquor but she managed to get bail," Kulkarni said.<br /><br />The Excise officials who were suspended are: Jagdeesh Deshmukh, Rajendra Salunkhe, Versha Vengulkar and Dhanaji Dalvi against whom a departmental inquiry would be launched soon, said State Excise Department Commissioner Shyamsundar Shinde.<br /><br />"These officials were found to be incompetent and prima facie it is a case of dereliction of duty," Shinde told PTI.<br /><br />Also, eight personnel attached to Malwani police station have been suspended after the incident.<br />Earlier, the highest death toll in a hooch tragedy stood at 87 in suburban Vikhroli in December 2005.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have launched a search for others who might have consumed spurious liquor that day.<br /><br />"We are checking every home in the vicinity and asking them whether they consumed liquor on that day. We found eight such persons and have admitted them to a nearby hospital," said a police official.<br /><br />The Excise department in the last one year booked 117 cases of distribution of hooch in Malwani.<br />Antop Hill police raided an illegal shop in Sion-Koliwada Area and and seized 40 litres of illicit liquor.</p>.<p><br />"We had information of illicit liquor being sold in the area. So we raided the shop and seized the liquor," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4), Ashok Dudhe said.<br /><br />"City Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has instructed all DCPs to crack down on illicit liquor shops and this raid is the operative part of Maria's instruction," he added.<br /><br />Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde visited Malad to take stock of the situation while Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam held a demonstration out Malwani Police station.</p>