Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the Ganjam hooch tragedy, Odisha Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan today said that illegal liquor units across the state will be demolished with bulldozers.

"We have directed for demolition of illegal distilleries using bulldozers. Illegal liquor operations will not be tolerated in the state," the minister said.

In a significant development in the hooch tragedy, a Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC)-level probe will be carried out into the incident, informed Harichandan. The investigation report will be submitted in two months.

"Chief Minister Mohan Majhi will decide on this matter shortly, and an RDC-level probe will be initiated within the next couple of days. Action will be taken based on the findings of the report, with a target to dismantle the illegal liquor network within a year," the minister said.

"We are committed to cracking down on the illegal liquor trade, and raids have been conducted across the state since August 20. So far, 217 illegal liquor units have been identified and will be demolished. As many as 117 persons have been arrested in various districts, and large quantities of fermented alcohol have been destroyed," the minister added.

While the State Government had yesterday suspended Berhmapur Excise Superintendent Pradip Panigrahi, Berhampur Excise Inspector Ramesh Chandra Mohanty and Sub-inspector (SI) Prasanna Kumar Jali were today transferred to Koraput and Dhenkanal, respectively.

Notably, Jura Behera (60) and Lokanath Behera (36) of Jenapur village in Ganjam district died at the MKCG medical college and hospital in Berhampur after allegedly consuming spurious country liquor. Twelve others who had consumed the liquor were undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Excise officials suspect that the illicit liquor became lethal because it was mixed with fertilizer and remnants of used lead batteries to increase its potency.