Three more die, Amritsar hooch toll 24

The death toll in the hooch tragedy in Majitha subdivision has mounted to 24 with three more persons succumbing on Wednesday.

They have been identified as Balkar Singh (45), Sahib Singh (50) and Dilbagh Singh, all residents of Bhangwan village.

The condition 10 more admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital continues to be critical.

The police have so far arrested 16 persons, including a father-son duo from Delhi — Ravinder Jain and Rajiv Kumar Jain — who run Bharat Heavy Chemicals in the national capital.

Satinder Singh, DIG, Border Range, said 18 persons were nominated in the case, while two — Raja, a resident of Bhangali Kalan, and Ravi Kumar, a resident of Rajasansi — were still at large.

He said among the others arrested were Prabhjeet Singh, Kulbir Singh of Bhangwan, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, Sikander Singh of Maradi Kalan, Ninder Kaur, Paramjit Singh of Thariwal, Sahib Singh of Harsh Chhina, two Ludhiana traders Arwinder Kumar and Pankaj Kumar, Gurmit Singh of Bhangwan, Navdeep Singh of Jandiala Guru, Arun of Patalpuri village and Sunder of Karnala village.

All accused, including Ninder Kaur, were produced in a local court, which remanded them in two-day police custody. The police had sought 10-day remand.

Besides Deputy Superintendent of Police (Majitha) Amolak Singh and SHO Avtar Singh, the police have also placed ASI Jatinderpal Singh, Bhangali Kalan police chowki in-charge, under suspension. Two excise officials were also suspended by the Punjab Government.

Area residents had alleged that the bootleggers used to sell spurious liquor a few metres away from the police chowki.

All victims belonged to economically poor sections of society and most of them were labourers working in brick kilns and agricultural farms.