Police yet to receive viscera report of liquor tragedy victims

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 30

Even as the Punjab Police have arrested the prime accused in the spurious liquor tragedy case, it has been awaiting viscera and chemical examination reports in order to file a challan in the court.

Over 120 persons had lost their lives after consuming spurious liquor in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Batala last month. Tarn Taran alone witnessed 97 deaths. The Tarn Tarn police arrested 44 persons in the case while the Amritsar rural police nabbed eight persons.

Tarn Taran SSP Dhruman H Nimbale said they had written to the forensic science laboratory in Kharar to provide viscera reports as soon as possible. “Though it will take long in compiling the viscera reports of all the deceased, we have requested the forensic lab authorities to send the reports of initial cases, which were sent to them for examination,” he said, adding that they were expecting reception of the reports this week.

He said the police had completed the paper work and documented the statements of doctors, the victims who recovered and the family members of the deceased.

Gaurav Toora, SP, Amritsar Rural police, said due to pendency of cases in the forensic lab, the viscera reports usually got delayed. “However, we have written to the lab authorities to take these cases on priority and provide viscera reports early so that we can complete the process on time,” he said.