The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : 'Cheap liquor' claims two lives in Vijayawada

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

'Cheap liquor' claims two lives in Vijayawada

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA, APRIL 10. Two rickshaw-pullers died after consuming `cheap liquor' at Sivalayam Street in Governorpet in the early hours today. The victims were identified as Palisetty Suri Babu (35) and Ramu (45) of a rickshaw-stand near the railway station. A couple of IML bottles, with part of liquor in them consumed, were also found lying there. Suri Babu is survived by his wife and three children. The police intensified their efforts to ascertain the background of Ramu.

The deaths sparked off strong protests from the Left parties with the leaders and activists of the CPI and CPI (M) as well as the Centre of Indian Trade Unions laying a siege to the prohibition and excise station at Governorpet demanding action against the wine shop dealers who supplied the bottles. The leaders of the Left parties demanded that the Government order a judicial inquiry into the incident, besides ensuring payment of compensation to members of the bereaved families.

The CPI (M) city secretary, Ch. Babu Rao, who led the protest, blamed the Telugu Desam Government for the deaths claiming that the Government had been fixing targets for excise officials and encouraging belt shops with a view to mopping up its revenue. Tension prevailed at the excise station for sometime in the morning after the officials and the CPI-M activists entered into heated exchanges. The CPI(M) activists, who brought the bodies to the station, took exception to the alleged remarks of the Excise Inspector of East division, P.V. Ramanamurthy, that the incident did not come under his `jurisdiction'.

Even as the CPI(M) leaders were arguing with Mr. Ramanamurthy over the issue, the CITU leader, Kasinath, alleged that the constables pushed away some women activists. However, after police intervened and recorded the batch numbers of the seized bottles, the CPI(M) activists dispersed and went to the mortuary of the Government Hospital.

The CPI(M) leaders entered into a fresh argument with excise officials at the mortuary, accusing the latter of `colluding with wine dealers and encouraging the sale of spurious liquor.'

The former Congress legislator and independent candidate from the Vijayawada-East Assembly constituency, Vangaveeti Ratna Kumari, the former CPI legislator, K.Subbaraju, and the party's city unit secretary, K. Sekhar Babu, visited the mortuary to console bereaved family members.

The police said the seized bottles were sent to the forensic laboratory for analysis.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh