Five victims drank adulterated liquor

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) yesterday said that the five people who died from alcohol poisoning during New Year celebrations in Rajshahi was due to them consuming liquor adulterated with chemicals. 

In a press release, Additional Deputy Commissioner Golam Ruhul Quddus, RMP's spokesperson, said an investigation revealed that the poisoning occurred because illegal liquor sellers mixed chemicals with foreign liquor to increase quantity, and therefore, profits.

However, he said a detailed investigation into the matter was ongoing.

Police arrested four illegal liquor dealers last night from two places, Sagarpara and Sipaipara, in Rajshahi city, the statement said. They told police that they sold the alcohol to sick people on New Year's Eve, and did not have proper knowledge or experience of mixing chemicals with liquor.

The arrestees are Parimal Singh (60), Md Saju (30), Bappa Singh (28) and Md Iftekhar Hossain alias Sumon (50).

Police seized three bottles of rectified spirit, a plastic bottle filled with liquid for making wine, a bottle filled with tamarind seed, 50 grams of orange powder and two bottles filled with alcohol. The seized items were sent for chemical testing.

Contacted, the RMP spokesperson said on January 1, at least 16 people fell ill after consuming alcohol and were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. At least five died on January 2 and 3 while undergoing treatment. Of the remaining 11, six returned home healthy, but five are still being treated.

"Police took the incident seriously," he said.

RMP Commissioner Abu Kalam Siddique led a joint team of detectives and officers from different police stations during the raids.

During interrogation, the detainees admitted that they sold the illegal liquor to the people who became sick or died. Police showed the arrestees' photographs to the sick people, who identified them as the sellers.

A case was filed with Boalia Model Police Station. Law enforcers have planned for a crackdown to completely eradicate the source of this illegal liquor, police said.