Barabanki hooch conduit held

LUCKNOW: As hooch death count rose, police scrambled for clues to track down the prime accused Kanhaiya Kumar and his aide Chhotu on Thursday, reaffirming Barabanki as the hub of the toxic brew. The duo set up a kiosk at the local fair in Mehmudabad and sold the poisonous potion to unsuspecting customers and have been selling hooch in Sitapur.
"Among those ill after consuming hooch, Munnilal is undergoing treatment at Sitapur district hospital, while other four have been admitted to KGMU Trauma Centre and are out of danger.Accused Kanhaiya Kumar and his aide Chhotu were arrested for selling illicit liquor," said IG S K Bhagat.
SP Barabanki, L R Kumar said, "Kanhaiya belongs to Barabanki and illegally sells liquor locally and in the adjoining districts."
"Vijay died first while being taken to KGMU on Monday night, but his family did not inform police and conducted the last rites. We are probing why his family did not inform police or whether local police officials pressured the family to conduct last rites," the SP added. Sumairi Lal died at Sitapur district hospital on Wednesday morning, but his family also did not inform police. When Vinod died on Wednesday late night at the district hospital, the doctors informed us about the spurious liquor death. The final report came on Thursday morning confirming that these were liquor deaths," added Kumar. The officer said that Kanhaiya has set up his kiosk at the local fair in Mehmudabad just few metres away from local police out post hence SHO Mehmudabad, Gopal Narayan Singh, sub-inspector Uday Vir and four constables have been suspended. Sitapur district excise officer Sushil Dubey told TOI, "We have seized some liquor packets from accused Kanhaiya and have set up a team to conduct raids. The samples will be sent for testing." So far, 73 people have died in Uttar Pradesh this year after consuming spurious liquor.