Ujjain SP, ASP shifted out, two cops arrested in Madhya Pradesh hooch tragedy

Ujjain District Superintendent of Police and another police official were transferred to Bhopal on Sunday following the death of 12 people after consumption of spurious liquor, while two constables were arrested for their alleged involvement in its sale, officials said.

The move to shunt out Ujjain District SP Manoj Singh and Additional SP Rupesh Dwivedi came after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took a serious view of the incident during a review meeting at his residence in Bhopal, a government official said.

Satyendra Kumar Shukla replaces Singh, who has been shifted to Bhopal as assistant inspector general at the police headquarters (PHQ), and the area city superintendent of police is suspended, said an order from the state Home department.

Besides, Ujjain's Additional Superintendent of Police Dwivedi has also been transferred to the PHQ as assistant inspector general, the order said.

At the review meeting, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr Rajesh Rajora, who heads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is conducting a probe into the incident, apprised Chouhan of the ground situation.

Chouhan asked the officials to check the sale of illicit liquor and other intoxicants. He also said that such an incident should not reoccur at any cost and the offenders should be dealt with an iron hand, the official said.

Earlier, constables Shaikh Anwar and Nawaz of Kharakuan police station in Ujjain were arrested on Saturday for their alleged involvement in the sale of spurious liquor, a police official said, adding that they were booked under sections for criminal conspiracy.

A doctor, named Junad, and one Irshad, working at the Golden Medical Store in Ujjain, were also arrested for allegedly making the spirit available to bootleggers and helping in their spurious liquor business, outgoing SP Manoj Singh told PTI.

Besides, the stringent National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against three bootleggers - Yunus, Sikandar and Gabbar - who were arrested after the incident, he said.

The victims, mostly beggars or poor labourers, died after consuming spurious liquor here on Wednesday and Thursday following which the chief minister ordered a high-level probe into the incident.

Singh also said that earlier 14 deaths were reported in the incident, but after the post-mortem report, the number of fatalities due to the consumption of spurious liquor was revised to 12.

Following the incident, assistant excise commissioner KC Agnihotri has also been shunted out of Ujjain and deputy municipal commissioner Subodh Jain has been suspended, the official said.

Jain was allegedly close to bootleggers Sikandar and Gabbar, police sources said.

Singh also said the city-based houses of bootlegger Sikandar and Gabbar, who were contractual workers with the Ujjain Municipal Corporation, have been demolished as they were constructed illegally.

The three accused bootleggers made the spurious liquor with spirit and some tablets at an abandoned municipal building, he said.

Ujjain Collector Ashish Singh on Thursday said there would be a crack-down against those who sell toxic liquor and they would be booked under the NSA.