Amroha (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Feb 9 (ANI): Cricketer-turned-politician and a powerful minister in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led BJP government, Chetan Chauhan on Saturday termed the state’s hooch tragedies, which have claimed 56 lives so far, as stray incidents, while saying none of ministers consumes liquor.“Hooch tragedies are stray incidents. During the previous regime, all sorts of crime were rampant in the state,” he said, while vouching for the fact that none of the ministers in Chief Minister Yogi Government takes liquor. According to him, all ministers are ‘teetotallers.’      “None of the ministers in our government drinks alcohol. However, when the SP was in power, everything used to happen. Girls were raped in day light. Kidnappings took place. Incidents of firing were common. Traders and businessmen were shot at. Cattle were forcibly taken away,” Chauhan told media persons. As many as 56 people have died so far—46 in Saharanpur and 10 in Kushinagar—after they consumed spurious liquor. Chief Minister Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to next kin of the deceased.Chauhan said that those responsible for the tragedies would not be spared. “All those who are involved including cops and officials from the concerned department and district administration will be held accountable,” he said.Uttar Pradesh Excise Minister Jai Pratap Singh said, “According to information received from the locals, a person identified as Rajendra Jaispal is involved in the distribution of illicit liquor in along UP-Bihar with the help of four others. The investigation is underway to arrest them.” (ANI)

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