Main accused in 2 hooch tragedies held

KANPUR: The main accused in the hooch tragedies in Kanpur and Kanpur Dehat districts in 2018 and 2019, which claimed as many as 24 lives, was arrested by

the Special Task Force

(STF) in Phafoond area of Auraiya district on Monday.

The accused, Janak Singh alias Chotey Parihar, is a native of Biruhali village under Ajitmal police station in Auraiya district.

“He was wanted in connection with two cases of hooch tragedies in Sachendi, Saadh area of Ghatampur and Kanpur Dehat districts in 2018 and 2019, that claimed lives of as many as 24 people,” said

Inspector Kotwali

Satyadeo Sharma.

After registering the cases, the police had launched an investigation and arrested several suspects, but Janak continued to evade arrest.

During investigation, it surfaced that Janak had supplied methyl alcohol to

hooch manufacturers

and was absconding since the incidents.

“STF traced Janak’s location using his mobile phone. Police has declared a reward of Rs 25,000 on Parihar,” said Inspector STF

Pankaj Mishra

.

Police said the arrest has led the police to identify some more key people involved in the manufacture and distribution of spurious liquor, including the supply chain of methanol (methyl alcohol), which led to the deaths in the region.

Incidentally, methanol or methyl alcohol poisoning has been behind most of the hooch tragedies in the region.