Pratapgarh suspicious deaths: Police await autopsy reports of 3 persons

PRAYAGRAJ: The death of three persons in the past 24 hours in two villages of Pratapgarh district has sent police and administration into a tizzy as some locals are attributing it to consumption of spurious liquor.
The deaths were reported in Saray Devrai Jadwapur and Saray Devrai Dalau Chauhan Ka Purwa under the limits of Jethwara police station.
However, police and excise department officials on Wednesday claimed that the deaths were not due to the consumption of hooch.
“The deaths could not be attributed to hooch as the family members of two of the victims have cited prolonged illness as the cause of death. The post-mortem will bring out the exact cause,” they said.
IG Prayagraj (range) KP Singh said, “Jethwara police were informed that a 45-year old-man and a 55-year-old woman died at Saray Devrai Dalau Ka Purwa and Saray Devrai Jadwapur, respectively on Tuesday night.”
During the investigation, police came to know that 50-year-old Lalaram died at Saray Devrai Dalau Chauhan Ka Purwa on Tuesday morning due to prolonged illness. After performing his last rites, his younger brother Hoob Lal also complained of headache on Tuesday evening and was taken to Sardar Patel hospital in Soraon where he died in the evening.
Similarly, 55-year-old Guddi Devi, who was ailing for some time, also complained of chest pain at her house in Saray Devrai Jadwapur. She was taken to Sardar Patel hospital, Soroan for treatment but died late on Tuesday during treatment.
District excise officer (Pratapgarh) Rajesh Kumar Singh said, “A thorough probe is being conducted to find out the reason behind the deaths. However, it has nothing to do with consumption of spurious liquor. We have spoken to the family members and found prolonged illness as cause behind the death of two persons.”