Death toll in the spurious liquor tragedy at Sangrampur in the Diamond Harbour sub-division of the State's South 24-Parganas district rose to 132 on Thursday even as more than 100 patients are still battling for life at different hospitals.
While 35 patients were declared dead on arrival at the Diamond Harbour sub-division hospital since Wednesday, 68 have died there and 25 at other hospitals, including two in the city, after admission.
Probe ordered
The Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, has ordered a probe into the incident by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the State police.
Chemical analysis of the body fluids of the deceased will be undertaken. Doctors suspect that methyl alcohol was laced with some chemicals for high intoxication.
The hospital authorities were finding it difficult to cope with the flow of patients, who kept pouring in through the day. Most of the patients at the 250-bed hospital were lying on the floor with saline drips, their family members by their side.
325 hospitalised
More than 325 people have been admitted to the hospital since Wednesday.
They had consumed illicit liquor from hooch dens in Sangrampur and adjoining villages.
“The patients are suffering from acute stomach ache, blurred vision and are vomiting because of the alcohol poisoning. They have been admitted with methyl alcohol toxicity, which requires ventilation, but that facility is not available in the hospital,” said Dr Sikha Adhikri, the Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) of the district.
A pall of gloom has descended over the hospital. Thousands of distraught people assembled there, many to claim bodies of their relatives which were taken out on cycle rickshaws after post-mortem.
As the count of dead kept rising, anger was palpable in the villages against the district administration and police. Local people in Sangrampur and adjoining villages alleged that illicit liquor dens have been mushrooming in the area over the years. The police have done little to clamp down on the dealers, they said.
Dens set ablaze
Irate villagers ransacked the dens at some places and set a few ablaze, alleging that they operated despite public resentment because of a nexus between the local police and those engaged in the illicit trade.
“So far we have arrested eight people who were involved in selling illicit liquor. Joint raids are being conducted by the CID, Excise Department and the Police,” Mr L.N. Meena, the district's Superintendent of Police, said.
PTI adds: To deal with the situation, the State Health Department has cancelled leave of all the doctors and paramedical staff.
Medical teams were rushed to Diamond Harbour sub-divisional hospital to assist the doctors there, the State Minster for Sunderbans Development, Mr Shyamal Mondal, said.
Observing that trade in illicit liquor has been going on for a long time in the State and it is a social problem, the Ms Mamata Banerjee said an all-party decision must be taken on the steps required to end the menace of illicit liquor.
Ms Banerjee said the government could have legalised the business and earned revenue for the cash-strapped exchequer, but would not do it. “Character cannot be bought with money,” she said.
She said the State government would help traders if they switched over to other businesses such as setting up tea or fruit stalls.
The Zila Parishad has granted Rs 10,000 to each affected family for the funeral rites. Post-mortem has been done on 100 bodies.