With over 70 people dying in three hospitals after consuming toxic liquor, the death toll in the hooch tragedy in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Thursday climbed over 140 as police arrested seven persons and the government ordered a CID inquiry.
Authorities fear that the toll would rise further as at least 50 people are in a critical state after consuming the spurious liquor on Wednesday. "The hooch toll has risen to 140 and over 350 are still in three different hospitals, many of whom are still battling for life," South 24-Parganas district chief medical officer (Health) Shikha Adhikari told reporters at Diamond Harbour.
Shikha Adhikari said that condition of at least 50 was still critical.
She said that of 327 victims admitted to Diamond Harbour sub-divisional hospital, 36 were declared brought dead, 70 later died and 56 were referred to state-run M R Bangur hospital in Kolkata.
Nineteen of the 56 victims died in M R Bangur hospital while six died in National Medical College and Hospital, she said.
The victims were mostly labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers. They fell ill hours after consuming illicit liquor from different joints around Sangrampur, near Canning, since Wednesday morning.
"Many are still battling for life in the three hospitals after consuming spurious liquor'," Adhikari said.
Announcing a CID inquiry into the hooch tragedy in the state assembly, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said seven persons had been arrested on the basis of preliminary administrative enquiry into the incident.
The chief minister said something toxic was mixed in the Spurious liquor and the owner of the liquor den Badshah Khokon, named in the FIR, was absconding.
Observing that trade in illicit liquor has been going on for a long time in the state and it is a social problem, the chief minister said an all-party decision must be taken on the steps required to end the menace of illicit liquor.
Banerjee said the state government would help traders if they switched over to other businesses like setting up tea or fruit stalls.
Banerjee said the state government had already announced compensation of Rs two lakh for the families of the dead.
Trade in illicit liquor has been going on for a long time in the state and it is a social problem, she said, and added that the state government would help the traders if they switched to other businesses like setting up tea or fruit stalls.
The deaths were reported from various hospitals since early Thursday morning, they said.
Most of the dead were poor labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers, who fell ill after consuming spurious liquor from several illegal joints on Wednesday.
The state government on Thursday announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
Authorities fear that the toll would rise further as at least 50 people are in a critical state after consuming the spurious liquor on Wednesday. "The hooch toll has risen to 140 and over 350 are still in three different hospitals, many of whom are still battling for life," South 24-Parganas district chief medical officer (Health) Shikha Adhikari told reporters at Diamond Harbour.
Shikha Adhikari said that condition of at least 50 was still critical.
She said that of 327 victims admitted to Diamond Harbour sub-divisional hospital, 36 were declared brought dead, 70 later died and 56 were referred to state-run M R Bangur hospital in Kolkata.
Nineteen of the 56 victims died in M R Bangur hospital while six died in National Medical College and Hospital, she said.
The victims were mostly labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers. They fell ill hours after consuming illicit liquor from different joints around Sangrampur, near Canning, since Wednesday morning.
"Many are still battling for life in the three hospitals after consuming spurious liquor'," Adhikari said.
Announcing a CID inquiry into the hooch tragedy in the state assembly, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said seven persons had been arrested on the basis of preliminary administrative enquiry into the incident.
The chief minister said something toxic was mixed in the Spurious liquor and the owner of the liquor den Badshah Khokon, named in the FIR, was absconding.
Observing that trade in illicit liquor has been going on for a long time in the state and it is a social problem, the chief minister said an all-party decision must be taken on the steps required to end the menace of illicit liquor.
Banerjee said the state government would help traders if they switched over to other businesses like setting up tea or fruit stalls.
Banerjee said the state government had already announced compensation of Rs two lakh for the families of the dead.
Trade in illicit liquor has been going on for a long time in the state and it is a social problem, she said, and added that the state government would help the traders if they switched to other businesses like setting up tea or fruit stalls.
The deaths were reported from various hospitals since early Thursday morning, they said.
Most of the dead were poor labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers, who fell ill after consuming spurious liquor from several illegal joints on Wednesday.
The state government on Thursday announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased.