CPM seeks judicial probe into hooch tragedy

Berhampur: The CPI-M demanded a judicial inquiry into the Chikiti hooch tragedy in Ganjam district. Four leaders of the party, including State secretary Ali Kishore Patnaik, on Friday visited Jenapur and Karbalua in Chikiti area and met the family members of those who died and are undergoing treatment after consuming hooch.

Ali Kishore, who led the delegation, also demanded that the Excise Minister of the BJP government should resign from his post owning moral responsibility for the hooch tragedy in Chikiti. “The excise ministers during the BJD rule, Kalindi Behera, Sura Nayak and A U Singhdeo, had immediately resigned following hooch deaths. If the present Excise Minister is unwilling to resign owning moral responsibility, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi must take the initiative to dismiss him,” Ali Kishore said. The State government must provide quality treatment to the persons undergoing treatment at MKCG, he said. The CPM has also demanded Rs 20 lakh compensation to the family members of the deceased. “The family members have told us that they are yet to receive any compensation or financial help from the government. Each of the family members must be provided with adequate compensation,” he said.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Ali Kishore said the hooch tragedy raised its head within two months of the party coming to power in Odisha.Meanwhile, Berhampur MP Pradeep Panigrahi visited MKCG Medical College and Hospital on Friday. He met the doctors and the patients and enquired about their health condition. Of the 12 persons from Moundpur, Jenapur and Karabalua villages of Chikiti block who fell ill after consuming country liquor from a local unlicensed shop on Monday evening and are in MKCG now, three are in ICU and one in ventilator, sources said.