The death toll from rectified spirit consumption in Rangpur rose to seven on Wednesday, four days after the first reported deaths from poisoning.
The latest victim was Zainul Abedin, a jailed narcotics trader, who died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital early in the morning.
Senior Jail Superintendent Abhijit Chowdhury said police brought Zainul to Rangpur Central Jail on Tuesday evening after arresting him from Shayampur in Badarganj. Shortly after being admitted as an inmate, he fell seriously ill.
Jail authorities took him to the coronary care unit of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where he died around 7am on Wednesday.
Badarganj police chief Zahid Hasan said two more men died on Tuesday night after drinking rectified spirit. They were identified as Abdul Malek, son of Mohir Uddin of Purba Shibpur village in Gopalpur Union of Badarganj, and Rashedul Islam, son of the late Mofazzal Hossain of Bandar College Para in Shayampur of Rangpur Sadar.
Police recovered Malek’s body from his home and Rashedul’s body from his in-laws’ house. Both were sent to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
Earlier, three men died on Sunday night after drinking rectified spirit at Zainul Abedin’s house in Shayampurhat of Badarganj. The victims were identified as Alomgir Hossain of Basantapur in Gopalpur Union, Sohel Mia of Purba Shibpur, and Jennad Ali of Sahapur in Rangpur Sadar.
Police confirmed another death in a similar incident. The victim, Manik Chandra Roy, 60, of Shiber Bazar under Kotwali in Rangpur, died on Tuesday afternoon while undergoing treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Police said several others became critically ill after drinking rectified spirit and are receiving treatment in different locations. Officers recovered ten bottles of rectified spirit during a raid on Zainul Abedin’s house. Two separate cases have been filed at Badarganj and Hajirhat police stations.
Rangpur Police Superintendent Marufat Hossain said narcotics traders often collect rectified spirit from homeopathy chambers. He said the Detective Branch and the Department of Narcotics Control recently raided a homeopathy chamber in Rangpur city and seized information. He added that further drives are underway.
