1992 Odisha liquor deaths

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The 1992 Odisha liquor deaths took place in May 1992 in Cuttack, Odisha State, India. More than 200 people died after drinking illegally brewed poisonous liquor; another 600 people were hospitalised. It was one of the biggest tragedies of its kind in India.

Since the tragedy, several women's organisations in the state have demanded total prohibition on the sale and manufacture of liquor.[ citation needed ] The state government imposed a ban on alcohol in 1994; however, the Indian National Congress government that came to power in 1995 lifted prohibition on the ground that it was causing huge losses in revenue. In 2000, the police arrested liquor kingpin Surendranath Das, alias Belu, in the case. [1] [2] [3] The accused was convicted in the lower court and upon appeal, Odisha High Court confirmed the life sentence awarded to Belu alias Surendra Das, the prime accused in the 1992 Cuttack hooch tragedy. [4]

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Events in the year 1992 in the Republic of India.

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Cuttack, is the former capital and the 2nd largest city in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the headquarters of the Cuttack district. The name of the city is an anglicised form of the Odia and Sanskrit name Kataka, which literally means The Fort, a reference to the ancient Barabati Fort around which the city initially developed. Cuttack is known as the Millennium City as well as the Silver City due to its history of 1000 years and famous silver filigree works. The Orissa High Court is located there, and the city is the judiciary capital of Odisha. It is one of the commercial hubs of Odisha, which hosts many trading and business houses in and around the city. Cuttack is famous for its Durga Puja, which is one of the most important festivals of Odisha. Being the favourite destination of poets and artists, it is also a cultural hub of Odisha. Due to its beauty, the term Kataka Nagara Dhabala Tagara is coined for it. The city is categorised as a Tier II city as per the ranking system used by the Government of India.

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References

  1. "200 Die From Contaminated Liquor in India - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. Orissa (India); India. 11 May 1992. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  2. "Deadly concoctions". Frontlineonnet.com. 16 July 1991. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  3. "Special: Death in the bottle: Kerala's illegal liquor tragedy". Rediff.com. 2 November 2000. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  4. Patnaik, Lalmohan (30 October 2011). "HC confirms lifer for hooch case kingpin". The Telegraph. Retrieved 10 November 2018.