Hooch toll mounts to 66; five arrested in Karnataka

BANGALORE/KRISHNAGIRI: The deadly mixture of locally-brewed liquor and suspected chemicals claimed 66 lives with 39 people succumbing on Monday while five persons were arrested in connection with the hooch.
   
Nine more people lost their lives in Krishnagiri district of Tamil nadu taking the toll to 17, District
Superintendent of Police C Thenmozhi told reporters.
   
Twenty five people died on Monday in Devarajeevanahally, a crowded slum in Bangalore where a majority of labourers reside, pushing the toll to 30 while it rose to 19 at Tekal and Narasapura villages in Kolar district with the death of five more persons.
   
Forty persons have been admitted to hospitals in Bangalore.
   
Five persons were arrested in Kolar district in connection with the incident.
   
However, the main suspect in the Bangalore incident has been identified as Soundar but is yet to be arrested. Soundar is absconding with his family soon after the tragedy struck on Sunday, police said.
   
Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur ordered for speedy investigations into the tragedy and payment of Rs 50,000 each as ex-gratia to the families of those who died.
   
The victims in Krishnagiri district had bought the liquor from Bangalore.
   
In another development, the Bangalore City Police on Monday set up three special teams headed by top officials to track down those behind the manufacture and sale of the killer brew.
   
The hooch tragedy provided the major political parties in the poll-bound state an opportunity to make an issue out with Congress and JD(S) blaming each other.
   
Congress took a swipe at the previous JDS-BJP government charging that its decison of banning arrack had led to the tragedy while BJP accused Congress of being responsible for it.
   
JD(S) alleged Governor Rameshwar Thakur's administration in the state, which is under President's rule, failed to check illicit liquor manufacture and sale and demanded a probe by the CBI.