Orissa orders probe into spurious liquor deaths

The Orissa government on Monday ordered an inquiry by a senior excise official after allegations of seven deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor in several villages of tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district.

In the last 10 days,seven people of several villages under Talachua GP of Kaptipada Block in Mayurbhanj district have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor from a local shop. Besides,16 others who had consumed the liquor from the same shop have been admitted to different hospitals.

Orissa excise commissioner Sudarshan Nayak said the local administration has no confirmation about these being liquor-related deaths. No case of unnatural death has been registered at the local police station, he said.