At least 38 people, including three women, died after consuming spurious liquor in Karimabad Colony of Tando Mohammad Khan on Tuesday.
Police officials confirmed the deaths and said those who fell unconscious were shifted to hospitals in Hyderabad and Tando Mohammad Khan. The condition of more than a dozen other victims was said to be critical, they added.
Some dead bodies were taken to private hospitals and handed over to heirs without post-mortem.
Sindh Inspector General of Police AD Khawaja while taking notice of the deaths suspended SHO Qadir Bux Behrani and ordered SSP Shamim Ara Baloch to investigate the matter and submit a report.
Reacting to the incident, Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Gayanchand Essrani suspended the local excise inspector, Karim Bux Gehlo, and ordered the Hyderabad director excise to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident.
Police raided Karimabad Colony and arrested 10 suspects allegedly involved in making and selling the toxic liquor.
Earlier, heirs of the deceased staged a demonstration on Hyderabad-Tando Mohammad Khan road along with the bodies and raised slogans against police. They said the liquor was openly prepared in the colony, but police did not take action. They demanded arrests of culprits involved in the sale and manufacturing of toxic liquor.
A shutdown strike is being observed in the city on the call of different political parties against the open sale of liquor and other contraband items.
QAIM TAKES NOTICE
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah took serious notice of the Tando Mohammad Khan incident in which 26 persons, including two women, lost their lives after consuming poisonous illicit liquor.
Talking to Chief Secretary Siddique Memon and IG Police AD Khwaja, the chief minister said that the incident of Tando Mohammad Khan had shocked him deeply. “Where were police when the so-called distillery of illicit liquor was operating in the area and where was the excise and district police when the illicit liquor was being sold in the market?” he questioned. “This is criminal negligence and attitude. The concerned police and excise officials are equally responsible of the crime and I would not spare them at any cost. This is not only the question of 26 lives but also the question of 26 families which have been destroyed,” he said.
He ordered the IG police to place the services of SSP Tando Mohammad Khan, concerned DSP and SHO under suspension immediately. He also directed Minister for Excise & Taxation Gianchand Israni to suspend the concerned excise and taxation staff of TM Khan.
The chief minister directed the IGP to issue necessary instruction to his police officers all over Sindh to start crackdown against the illegal distilleries and selling of illicit liquor. “I would not only take action against the concerned officers but also send them behind the bars in case of any negligence,” he said.
The chief minister ordered the DIG Hyderabad to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident and report him within a week. “You have to identify the negligent officers but fix the responsibility so that serious action could be taken against them,” he said. “I would not allow anybody to play with the lives of poor people by selling poison just for few coins.”
He directed the IG police to take strict action against the culprits. “Show me how many criminals involved in running the distillery illegally have been taken to task. I want result and I mean it,” he ordered.
RAW WINE DEATH TRAGEDY ECHOES IN SINDH ASSEMBLY
The issue of tragic deaths of 38 people due to consuming poisonous raw wine in Tando Muhammad Khan echoed in Sindh Assembly on Tuesday.
Many lawmakers requested for prayer for the departed souls and demanded stern action against corrupt officials of excise and taxation department and Sindh police who were patronising these drug dens.
However, Provincial Minister for Excise & Taxation Gayan Chand made a statement on the casualties in Tando Muhammad Khan due to poisonous liquor. He said all the staff of the E&TD Tando Muhammad Khan had already been suspended and further probe was under way.
However, the Sindh Assembly left most of the private members’ agenda unaddressed on Tuesday during second sitting of its 24th session. The Sindh Assembly met for two hours and 54 minutes. The sitting started at 1104 hours against its scheduled time of 1000 hours.
The speaker chaired the sitting for two hours and 19 minutes while a member of the panel of chairpersons presided over the rest of the proceeding. The deputy speaker was not present. The chief minister and the leader of the Opposition did not attend the sitting.
Only 32 members (20pc) were present at outset and 43 (26pc) at the adjournment of the sitting. The parliamentary leaders of PPPP, MQM, PML-F and PML-N were present. Six minority members were also present.
The House rejected a motion to introduce the Lyari Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2016. The House adopted a resolution sponsored by PTI lawmaker to computerise the records of birth certificate, permanent resident card and domicile certificates in the province.
A resolution regarding life skills based education (LSBE) moved by the MQM lawmaker was referred to the concerned standing committee. The House did not take up three private resolutions and 21 motions to amend its rules of procedure and conduct of business.
The government orally responded to three out of five starred questions appearing on the agenda. The lawmakers also asked 15 supplementary questions. The speaker declared an adjournment motion regarding encroachments in Karachi as ‘out of order’. Four lawmakers spoke on the motion for 14 minutes.
A PTI lawmaker withdrew his privilege motion regarding inaction of the government to stop consumption of alcohol in the restaurants of his constituency. The House did not take up five private motions on issues of public importance. The lawmakers spoke on four points of order consuming five minutes of the proceedings. Later, the speaker adjourned the sitting to Friday, March 25, at 10:00am.