Brew deaths: Congress seeks Lokpal probe
Senior Congress leader Narasingh Mishra has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Excise Minister AU Singhdeo for brew deaths in villages under Cuttack Sadar police limits. Four persons died and seven were taken seriously ill allegedly due to overdosage of medicinal formulations with high alcohol content at several villages under Cuttack Sadar police limits late on Monday night.
He rejected judicial inquiry and demanded probe by Odisha Lokpal.
Mishra told mediapersons on Wednesday that? the toll might cross 50. He accused Naveen of shielding Singhdeo and demanded compensation of
` 10 lakh for the bereaved families and medical expenses of the ill.
Claiming that the judicial inquiry was a ‘hogwash’, he said the issue needs an impartial probe and the Lokpal be entrusted with it.? The leader also alleged that though many such incidents have occurred in the past under Singhdeo’s rule no action has been initiated into those as yet.
Mishra said if medical formulation is behind the deaths then even Prasanna Acharya should resign.
Questioning how the Excise Department provided licence to? the drug manufacturing unit to procure spirit when Drugs Controller should have issued it, he said it was a failure of the police to act which reflects inefficiency of the Home Department.
IIM Sambalpur
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