Five die taking toxic alcohol

Five people died and another fell sick reportedly after consuming toxic alcohol in Pirgachha upazila of Rangpur in last two days.

The dead are Anwar Hossain, 40, and Abdul Kalam Azad, 42, of Mahindra village under Rangpur city corporation, Shahjahan Ali, 43, of Kalyani Taltola village, Mujibor Rahman, 45, of Chhoto Kalyani village, and Shuvasish Chandra Roy, 55, of Jharindra village in Pirgachha upazila.

Golap Hossain, 44, is now undergoing treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

Police said the six fell sick after having some toxic alcohol bought from two separate homeopathy shops, owned by one Prashanto Kumar Roy and his brother Komol Chandra Roy, at Borodargah Bazaar in Pirgachha on Saturday night.

Family members took Shahjahan and Mujibor to RMCH in a critical condition on Saturday night. They died at the hospital the following morning.

Meanwhile, Anwar and Azad were admitted to the same hospital on Sunday noon, where they died yesterday noon.

Rangpur Additional Superintendent of Police Ataur Rahman said after the incident came to light yesterday police detained the two shop owners for quizzing in the afternoon.

On July 11 this year, police pressed charges against 24 people after eight people died consuming toxic liquor in Rangpur city in between September 28 to October 4 last year.