KARACHI, Oct 10 (INP): At least three more persons died in the Jinnah Hospital while struggling for their lives as a result of drinking raw alcohol on Friday, mounting the death toll to 32.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) East Muneer Sheikh was appointed as Inquiry Officer who suspended Station House Officer (SHO) Landhi, Korangi, Zaman Town, Sharafi Goth and Shah Latif Town in addition to two Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSPs) and has ordered to conduct an inquiry.
13 cases regarding the deaths have been registered in different police stations including Korangi, Zaman Town, Sharafi Goth and Landhi police stations on behalf of the government. Two cases registered at Korangi Industrial Area police station have named Tahir Baloch as the culprit.
Earlier, at least 29 people had died, while another 24 were still fighting for their live as a result of drinking raw alcohol since the first day of Eid.
The victims belonged to Sharafi Goth, Chanesar Goth, Gulshan Jamal, Zaman Town, Landhi and Korangi areas of Karachi.
Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah took notice of the incident and summoned report from the Inspector General (IG).
The police have also started a crackdown against the dealers of raw alcohol. At least three persons were taken into custody in the first phase who are being interrogated.
As the fatalities soared, newly-appointed Excise and Taxation Minister Gayan Chand Asrani had suspended two directors and four deputy-directors of his department, belonging to the Karachi and Hyderabad regions.
Asrani was given the charge after Mukesh Kumar Chawla was removed from the post after the provincial government deemed the minister ‘negligent’ for issuing licences to substandard wine shops in Hyderabad, where 20 people had died after consuming liquor over the past week.
