Mumbai hooch tragedy toll climbs to 94

 

Mumbai, June 21  The toll in the Mumbai hooch tragedy - the worst such in 11 years in Maharashtra - shot up to 94 on Sunday, police said.

Police said so far 94 have succumbed and around 45 more are under treatment in various government and private hospitals since the past four days.

These people had consumed liquor at a country liquor bar in Malwani on Wednesday night.

The Crime Branch, which is probing the incident, has launched a manhunt across Mumbai and its surroundings for at least four bootleggers who are said to be the kingpins of the illicit liquor trade.

Police have so far nabbed around 20 people in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, Mumbai police have launched a house-to-house search in the Laxmi Nagar slum and other areas to ascertain if anybody had visited or bought liquor from there and consumed it.

At least eight such people were detected on Sunday and were taken to hospitals.

In December, 2004, 87 people have died in two such incidents in Mumbai.