Hooch tragedy: Haridwar police arrest main accused Sardar Hardev, son Sukka, two others at Roorkee

Roorkee: The Haridwar police have arrested the prime accused Sardar Hardev and his son Sukka in Jhabrera in connection with the deaths that occurred due to consumption of illicit liquor in Uttarkhand’s Roorkee. Two more people were arrested for selling the illicit liquor in Roorkee on Monday. [caption id=“attachment_6060561” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of hooch tragedy victims undergoing treatment in Saharanpur. PTI[/caption] Director General of Law and Order Ashok Kumar told ANI that so far four people have been arrested in the region. On Monday’s arrests, J Khanduri, SSP Haridwar told the media, “They have accepted that they sold illicit liquor in Saharanpur too. They have named another accused in the case, further investigation is underway.” Consumption of spurious illegal liquor has claimed the lives of more than 80 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, forcing government officials to launch a major crackdown to nab those responsible for distribution of illicit liquor in the states and its neighbouring regions. Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested in connection with hooch tragedy in Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, which claimed eight lives, said Superintendent of Police Rajeev Narayan Mishra on Sunday. The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday constituted a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe recent deaths due to consumption of illicit liquor in the state. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who died after consuming spurious liquor and Rs 50,000 each to those who are undergoing treatment. Eastern Uttar Pradesh general secretary Priyanka Gandhi too expressed grief over the death of more than 100 people in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh due to illicit liquor consumption and demanded an appropriate compensation and provision of government jobs for kin of the deceased.