Facing widespread criticism for the deaths of 42 people as a result of consuming poisoned liquor, the Gujarat government on Thursday transferred the superintendents of police (SP) of Ahmedabad and Botad districts and suspended six lower-ranking officers, including two deputy superintendents of police (DySP), for "dereliction of duty."
The home department's notification on Thursday stated that 2009 -batch IPS Virendra Singh Yadav, SP, Ahmedabad rural was transferred and appointed on vacant ex-cadre post of Commandant, Metro Security, 1, Ahmedabad while Karanraj Vaghela, IPS, 2012-batch, SPP, Botad, was transferred to protection of government properties, Gandhinagar as commandant.
"We have transferred Botad SP Karanraj Vaghela and Ahmedabad SP Virendrasingh Yadav. Six police officials, including two Deputy SPs, a circle police inspector, a police inspector, and two sub-inspectors, have been put under suspension," Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Raj Kumar told news agency PTI.
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So far, 42 people from Botad and the neighboring Ahmedabad district have died as a result of consuming spurious liquor in Botad on July 25, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said on Wednesday.
The police have charged over 20 people with murder, causing bodily harm with poison, criminal conspiracy, and violating parts of the Gujarat Prohibition Amendment Act. So far, the police have detained 15 people who are accused of purchasing 600 litres of methyl alcohol from a godown in Ahmedabad rural and selling it to other people. They turned it into country whiskey and sold it to hundreds of people in Ahmedabad's rural, neighboring Botad district villages.
