Another 10 persons died from taking liquor, raising the death toll to 22, while another 12 were still in critical condition. One person, Abdul Ghaffar, died in Vehari. Four persons Pitras Masih, Aashi, Faqir Hussain and Nazar Hussain died on October 27.
Director, Nishtar College Hospital emergency ward, Dr Fahim Javed said, "Seventeen persons, including a constable, have so far died in two days in emergency of Nishtar Hospital Multan who took toxic liquor. Their liver failed functioning and they could not survive." He said that they had mixed 'Samad Bond' in the liquor to increase its intensity, which caused their death.
He said that relatives of some patients took the patients home when they saw that police was interrogating the case. Thus, six deaths occurred in their homes.
DPO Multan Munir Ahmed Chishti said," I accept my responsibility. It was negligence of police, which caused death of more than one and a half dozen people who belonged to labour class. Most of them were 25 & 20 years old. Police should have been proactive in dealing with the menace of bootlegging while keeping in view the past experience."
The DPO said that an SP rank officer has been deputed to conduct inquiry into the matter, and warned that any police official found involved in patronising bootlegging, directly or indirectly, would face action.
The dead were identified as Haji Juma Khan (52), Muhammad Bilal (28), Muhammad Zahid (15), Muhammad Asif (18), Muhammad Arshad (26), Imran Ahmed (25), Habib-ur-Rehman (30), Atiq-ur-Rehman (25), Tariq Iqbal (30), Mazhar Abbas (25), Aftab Ahmed (45), Muhammad Ashiq (30), Abdul Rauf (30), Muhammad Asghar (35), Aziz Ahmed (Cop No 186) (37), Nazar Hussain, Nazar Abbas, Muhammad Aslam, Rab Nawaz, Muhammad Nawaz, Tahir Ali, and Muhammad Yasin.
Abdul Ghaffar died in Vehari. Rashid Ali son of Rehmat Ali (30) died on Saturday morning. Those in critical condition are Muhammad Nadeem (26), Muhammad Ramzan (25), Shahid (25), Muhammad Sajjad son of Muhammad Akram (20), Muhammad Azam, Imtiaz Ahmed, Jugnu, Sajawal, Anwar son of Muhammad Aslam, and Idrees.
"We have busted two gangs of liquor suppliers and seized huge quantity of liquor from their possession. Four bootleggers were arrested and 132 bottles of imported liquor, 30 litres Desi alcohol, a distillery, a revolver, a pistol and chemicals were recovered from them.
Those arrested include Liaquat alias Suhail alias Lakki s/o Austin Nadeem r/o Shantinagar, Khanewal, Imran s/o Peter John r/o Grass Mandi Multan, Qaisar Abbas r/o Raipur, Kabirwala, and Khalid Hussain r/o Chah Molvi Wala, New Multan.
Police said that one gang was involved in selling adulterated liquor in the name of imported brands and others were preparing Desi alcohol. The gangs were smashed after police interviewed the liquor consumers in the hospital, police said.
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