Toll in UP hooch tragedy rises to 13
Lucknow, May 21: The death toll in last week’s hooch tragedy in Kanpur rural rose to 13 on Monday, as eight more persons died after consuming spurious liquor, police said.
Five persons had died on Saturday and two more died in a Kanpur medical facility, while five persons died in Sachendi on Sunday. Of 25 persons being treated at various places, two are said to be "extremely critical".
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
District authorities have expedited their action against the people believed to be behind selling of the spurious liquor following a visit by Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma to the hospitals.
Based on a complaint filed by Excise Inspector N.K. Mishra, the owner of the liquor vend in Madauli, Satish Mishra and a salesman Sarman have been named in an FIR and the latter has been arrested.
A case has also been registered against former Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator Ram Swaroop Singh Gaur, his grandson Neeraj Singh and Vinay Singh.
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Fan tries to die by suicide over Nikhil Kumaraswamy's bypoll loss
Bengaluru: Channapatna JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who lost the byelection to C.P. Yogeshwar of Congress, on Sunday consoled a fan who reportedly attempted to end his life and requested him not to repeat such acts.
Manjunath, fondly called Abhi, had even penned a letter before taking the dangerous step. Nikhil, who called on Manjunath at the latter’s home in Kudloor in Channapatna, expressed shock and sadness over the incident.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy reassured Manjunath, expressing his support during the difficult time. He told him that he was deeply troubled to learn of this incident and emphasised that he would stand by him. Nikhil also promised to offer assistance in any way he could, including helping him secure employment opportunities in the future, as reported by the Deccan Herald.
He also reminded Manjunath of the importance of his children’s well-being, urging him to focus on their future. “Please, look at the faces of your growing children. Even I have a three-year-old son. The children are young, let us take care of their future also. I will arrange some job opportunities for you. I might not be an MLA but this is a challenge. I will get you employed,” he said.
Nikhil told media persons that he is extremely hurt more by Manjunath’s attempt to die than by his loss in the election. “At 7:30 a.m., we got a message that in Valetoopu, Manjunath had consumed poison yesterday. In Channapatna, our workers and leaders have built this party with zeal. Let the admiration be there in your hearts but if it crosses the line, your families get hurt and we get very pained by it,” he was quoted as saying by the publication.
Speaking of his byelection loss, Nikhil reiterated that the JD(S) had got its traditional votes, but that the votes of a particular community went against the party.
“Deve Gowda gave reservation to a community. We tried our last attempt to take that community into confidence. But they conveyed to us that they do not require us. In future, we will take other communities into confidence,” he remarked in a veiled reference to Muslims.
Nikhil lost the election by a margin of 25,413 votes to Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar.
