Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday made a visit to the Gujran village in Sangrur district on the fifth day of hooch tragedy that has claimed 21 lives due to suspected consumption of spurious liquor. The Chief Ministers visit aimed to assess the situation firsthand and provide immediate assistance to the families affected by the tragedy.   Reaching Sangrur from Delhi on Sunday morning, Mann met the grieving families of victims and expressed deep condolences while assuring them of Governments unwavering support during these trying times.   Addressing the media, Mann condemned the heinous act of poisoning individuals through illicit liquor consumption, equating it to murder. He stressed that those responsible for selling spurious liquor would face stringent legal action, with efforts underway to identify any further criminal activities in the area, including the distribution of synthetic drugs.   The police have registered a murder case in the incident…FIR under Section 302 (of the IPC) has been registered against 10 accused. Killing somebody by giving poison is a murder, he said, adding that those involved in selling spurious liquor will be nabbed.   We are trying to find out if these accused have more links in Punjab. If there are more gangs selling spurious liquor, they will also be arrested and booked under Section 302, Mann said.   During his interactions with local residents, some youths informed the Chief Minister about the alleged distribution of chitta (synthetic drugs) in the village, raising concerns about the broader illicit activities in the region. Mann assured the community that necessary measures would be taken to tackle drug-related issues and ensure the safety and well-being of the people.   The hooch tragedy has not only led to a loss of lives but has also ignited political debates, with opposition parties criticizing the AAP Governments response to the crisis.   The Chief Ministers visit came amidst mounting pressure on the government, with opposition parties demanding accountability and seeking the resignation of Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the incident. However, Manns presence in the affected area signaled a proactive approach by the administration to address the immediate needs of the victims families and expedite the investigation process to bring the culprits to justice.   However, the AAP government has refuted these allegations, asserting that it is committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety of its citizens. Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who also visited Sangrur on Sunday, reiterated the Governments stance and assured the families of the victims of full support.   We stand by these families. Whatever support they require, we will provide, said Cheema, who is MLA from Dirba which falls under Sangrur. He affirmed that those found guilty in connection with the tragedy would face exemplary punishment, sending a strong message against the illegal liquor trade.   Police Arrest Two More Accused Two more people were arrested in connection with the Sangrur hooch tragedy that claimed 21 lives so far. Sharing details, Deputy Inspector General, Patiala Range, Harcharan Singh Bhullar on Sunday said that with this, a total of 10 people have been arrested so far.   The two accused were identified as Mangal Singh — a resident of Tibbi Ravidaspura in Sunam; and Veeru Saini — a resident of Sunam, he said.   Among the eight arrested earlier were Soma Kaur, Rahul alias Sanju and Pardeep Singh alias Babi — all hailing from Chauwas in Cheema; Gurlal Singh of Ubhawal village in Sangrur; Harmanpreet Singh of Taipur village in Patiala; Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh of Rogla village, Manpreet Singh alias Mani, and Sukhwinder Singh alias Sukhi — all residents of Gujjran village in Dirba.   Modus Operandi A four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Gurinder Singh Dhillon, was set up on Saturday to probe the incident. Investigation revealed that Veeru Saini bought four boxes of spurious liquor from Soma Kaur and sold two boxes to Mangal Singh and the other two to the public. Mangal Singh then sold his two boxes of spurious liquor to the people in the Tibbi Ravidaspura area.   The police have already registered three FIRs at Dirba, City Sunam and Cheema police stations under relevant sections, including 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and the Excise Act. Police invoked section 61-A of the Excise Act in all three FIRs lodged in connection with the case at Dirba, City Sunam and Cheema police stations. Section 61-A is punishable with imprisonment for life or the death penalty.   ADGP Dhillon, addressing the media in Chandigarh on Saturday, said that accused Harmanpreet, after procuring methanol from a Noida-based factory, was preparing spurious liquor at his home and selling it after packing it in liquor bottles and putting the label of the liquor brand Shahi in Hindi.   The police had also found spurious liquor and other equipment used for manufacturing and labelling it from the possession of the accused. Purohit greets people on Holi Chandigarh: Punjab Governor and UT-Chandigarh Administrator Banwari Lal Purohit on Sunday extended warm greetings to the people of Punjab and Chandigarh on the joyous occasion of Holi. Purohit, in his message, said: The festival of Holi marks the arrival of spring and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. As the onset of spring fills the environment with mystic charm and fragrance, may this vibrant festival of colour transcend across all social barriers and strengthen social harmony, bring joy, delight, hope and happiness in the lives of people of Punjab and Chandigarh. He appealed to the people to celebrate the festival of Holi in a true spirit of amity, goodwill, and brotherhood.   Himachal Governor, CM greet people on Holi Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday extended their greetings to the people of the State and the country on the occasion of Holi. The Governor, in his message, said that the festival would go a long way in promoting the unity and integrity of the country. CM Sukhu, in his felicitation message, said: The fervour of Holi transcends the artificial barriers of religion, caste, creed, and class and gives the message of social integration and fraternity.   PGIMERs Advanced Eye Centre celebrates its 18th Founders Day Chandigarh: The Advanced Eye Centre at PGIMER, Chandigarh, celebrated its 18th Founders Day. The event was marked by the release of a book titled Ophthalmic Signs in Practice of Medicine, authored by Prof Amod Gupta, Prof Reema Bansal, Prof Aman Sharma, and Arun Kapil. The celebrations began with Prof SS Pandav, the Head of the Department, discussing the Centers achievements over the past year, including implementation of Queue Management System to reduce patient wait times and waiver of refraction and visual field charges to streamline patient queues. Furthermore, an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system has also been implemented, apart from acquisition of advanced equipment such as Artevo Microscope and Fundus photography flex machine.   Nuh Police Station SI arrested for taking Rs 5k bribe Chandigarh: Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday arrested Sub-Inspector Surjeet Singh, posted at City Police Station, Nuh, on the charges of taking Rs 5,000 bribe, he allegedly demanded in exchange for granting police bail in an FIR registered at City Police Station. Spokesperson said that the complainant approached the ACB team saying that the accused SI was demanding a bribe of Rs 7,000 from him in exchange for granting police bail in the FIR registered at the police station. After investigating the facts, the accused SI was arrested on the charge of taking a bribe of Rs 5,000. In this case, all necessary evidence is being collected and the matter is being investigated.   Mere Sheher Ke 100 Ratan scholarship prog for Punjab launched Chandigarh: Crack Academys scholarship program Mere Sheher Ke 100 Ratan for Punjab was launched in Chandigarh. Punjab Cabinet Ministers Chetan Singh Jouramajra and Lal Chand Kataruchak, along with former Minister Pargat Singh, were the chief guests. Speaking during the event, former Education Minister Pargat Singh said that the program will help Punjab students in a big way. Jouramajra said that we appreciate the Academys outlook on uplifting underprivileged students by offering them access to education. Kataruchak said that the program will also help the underprivileged students to get access to a global standard of education, just like those in metro cities.   PGI raises awareness on head injury, its prevention with walkathon Chandigarh: To raise awareness about head injury, its prevention, and the importance of primary care, the Division of Neuroanaesthesia and Neurocritical care at PGIMER, Chandigarh, on Sunday organized a Walkathon at Sukhna Lake which was attended by 70-80 doctors including Prof Y Narayana, Head of Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, along with senior faculty members. They actively participated and advocated for the prevention of head injury throughout the walk. The Walkathon was organized to commemorate Head Injury Awareness month and aimed to educate the general public about the early signs and symptoms of head injury, which should not be ignored. The importance of wearing helmets for both drivers and pillion riders was emphasized during the event, it stated.

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