Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered the suspension of seven excise officials along with two DSPs and four SHOs of Punjab Police, and inquiry against them in connection with the hooch tragedy,which has so far claimed 86 lives in three districts.

He has also announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia to each for the families of the deceased,most of whom are from Tarn Taran,which accounts for 63 deaths,followed by Amritsar Rural 12 and Gurdaspur(Batala)11.

Strict action will be taken against any public servant or others found complicit in the case,”said Amarinder,describing the police and excise department failure to check the manufacturing and sale of spurious liquor as shameful.Nobody will be allowed to get away with feeding poison to our people,he added.