Bengal hooch tragedy: Police ignored local complaints about 'killer' joint

Kolkata, July 20 As the death toll in the hooch tragedy at Ghusuri in West Bengal's Howrah district rose to 10 on Wednesday, the local people said that the cops at the Malipanchghora police station ignored several complaints against the killer hooch joint in the locality, where the victims consumed spurious liquor on Tuesday night.

The local people have also alleged that the owner of the joint, Pratap Karmakar, enjoys a lot of clout in the ruling Trinamool Congress and hence the police were hesitant in taking action against him.

They also alleged that many a times in the past, action has been taken by the local police and the state excise department against illegal hooch factories in the area, but each time Karmakar's joint managed to escape the action of the law enforcement agencies.

When the local Trinamool Congress legislator and state minister Arup Roy reached Ghusuri on Wednesday afternoon, the women of the area complained to him against the local police. They alleged that the local police refused to take action against Karmakar even though several complaints were filed against him.

The women also complained that the cops at the Malipanchghora police station misbehaved with them when they demanded action against Karmakar.

Roy said the state government will adequately compensate and take care of the victims' families.

"At the same time, I would like to say that none responsible for the tragedy will be spared, including police personnel," Roy said.

Stating that the West Bengal state government recently introduced home delivery of country liquor, state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said, "Liquor and lottery are two avenues of revenue generation both for the state government as well as the ruling party leaders. That is why the police are silent and the common people are suffering."

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