JORHAT: At least 35 people, including 11 women died and more than 50 others were battling for their lives in hospitals after consuming poisonous country liquor in last 16 hours in three districts of
Assam.
The majority of the dead are
tea garden workers of Salmora tea garden, about three km from Golaghat town in Assam's Golaghat district. The others are from neighbouring Jorhat district.
The victims are under treatment at Jorhat Medical College Hospital (JMCH) and Golaghat Kushal Konwar Civil hospital.
Golaghat district excise department lodged a police complaint at Golaghat and three persons have been arrested in connection with the case.
"In the initial inquiry, it has been found that the people consumed methyl alcohol mixed liquor," said officials. Chief minister Sarabananda Sonowal's has ordered an inquiry by upper Assam division commissioner.
The CM has instituted a one-man inquiry and asked upper Assam division commissioner Julie Sonowal to probe into the corollaries of events leading to the death of people. The modus operandi of the inquiry will study the circumstances and other related causative factors and prepare a report and submit the same to the government. He also asked minister Topon Kumar Gogoi, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and MLA Mrinal Saikia to rush to the spot to assess and quell the situation arising out of the death of liquor poisoning.
The ongoing budget session of the Assam legislative assembly was rocked by the tragedy this morning. The opposition Congress blamed the state excise department for its failure to check consumption of country liquor in tea garden areas.