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Bangalore, May 22: The excise and police departments have conducted massive and intensive combing operations and raids in the hooch-affected areas in the city, resulting in the arrest of five people. The sleuths recovered close to 1,000 sachets of unauthorised liquor.

Venkatesh and Pavithra were arrested by the Excise personnel and Ayaz, Raghu and Neelakantha were arrested by the Frazer Town sub division police.

After an inquiry, they were remanded in judicial custody. Sarala managed to escape and the main-accused Soundar Rajan and Iqbal are still at large.

In view of the tragedy, Advisor to the Governor P.K.H. Tharakan had asked Excise and police officials to curb the menace.

Based on information from credible sources, the Excise sleuths began the combing operation near P V K Nair Layout and found a few sachets of spurious liquor, containing methyl alcohol, in a house. The house owner Pavithra was arrested.

The sleuths raided another house, where they found another culprit Venkatesh. In both houses they recovered about 40 sachets of liquor.

Based on the information provided by the two, the sleuths found hundreds of sachets (100 ml each) hidden in two wells close by. Mohan, DC (Excise) told this website's newspaper that the accused hid the liquor in the wells on hearing about the tragic deaths.

The liquor had to be retrieved with the help of bulldozers and Fire Brigade personnel. A total of 253 sachets were recovered, he added.

The Excise sleuths also held combing operations near Bagalur Layout in Frazer Town and recovered about 800 sachets of liquor. "The raids will continue till the situation returns to normalcy," said Mohan.

17 policemen suspended

Following the order issued by the DG and IGP office to hold the jurisdictional police officers responsible, 17 policemen were suspended on Wednesday.

"Nine policemen, including Inspector Mohammed Rafeek, two PSIs, HCs and PCs of Devara Jeevana Halli Police Station, were suspended with immediate effect," said B K Singh (DCP, South).

In Kolar, two SIs, two ASIs and four HCs and PCs were suspended. "We are also awaiting reports from Bangalore City, Bangalore districts and KGF. The department will take strict action against the police officials, if they are found guilty," said Shankar M Bidari, ADGP (Law and Order).

"In the tragedy-affected areas, the police have arrested 27 accused. Of these, three are from Bangalore city, 13 from Bangalore districts, 10 from Kolar and one from KGF," he added.