Not less than 17 folks have died and 6 are hospitalised in Majitha sub division of Punjab’s Amritsar district after consuming spurious liquor, resulting in the arrest of 9 accused and the suspension of 4 officers, together with the native excise and taxation officer (ETO) and deputy superintendent of police, on Tuesday.
Members of the family of the hooch tragedy victims grieving in Majitha sub division of Amritsar district on Tuesday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)
The deaths had been reported in Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan and Therewal villages of the sub division, officers stated, including {that a} police probe revealed that methanol was procured in bulk on-line to arrange the hooch.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann stated these chargeable for the deaths of harmless folks within the villages in Majitha wouldn’t be spared. “These are not deaths, these are murders,” he posted on X.
Mann met households of the victims at Marari Kalan and introduced ₹10 lakh to the kin of the deceased in addition to free schooling to their kids. These hospitalised will get ₹2 lakh every, he stated.
Two FIRs have been registered and predominant suppliers — Prabhjit Singh and Sahib Singh — have been arrested from Rajasansi. Seven different accused, who purchased liquor from the suppliers and distributed to the villages, have additionally been arrested.
Taking swift motion, state finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema positioned Majitha sub division excise and taxation officer (ETO) and inspector with rapid impact for negligence.
Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav positioned Majitha deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Amolak Singh and Majitha police station home officer (SHO) Avtar Singh underneath suspension. Departmental inquiries have been initiated towards them. “Nine persons, including the kingpin of the racket and several local distributors, have been arrested in connection with the illicit liquor trade. Methanol, after being procured online, was used for spurious liquor manufacture. Investigation is underway to uncover the entire modus operandi and to bring all involved to justice,” DGP Yadav posted on X.
Members of the family of Karnail Singh, who was among the many 17 villagers who died after consuming the spurious liquor, at Majitha on Tuesday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)
Third main hooch tragedy in 5 years
That is the third main hooch tragedy in Punjab over the previous 5 years. In July and August 2020, at the very least 130 folks, most of them daily-wagers, had died after consuming spurious liquor within the three border districts of Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur. Round 80 deaths had been reported in Tarn Taran district alone.
In March 2024, 20 folks, all of them daily-wage labourers, had died in a bootleg liquor tragedy in Sangrur, chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence district, once more exposing the simple availability of poisonous alcohol in villages by way of a well-organised community, puncturing the Punjab authorities’s claims of clamping down on the mafia.
4 victims in hospital vital
Amritsar deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney stated that many of the victims hospitalized since Monday had been daily-wagers.
The situation of 4 of them admitted to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital has deteriorated, hospital authorities stated on Tuesday.
Swarnjeet Dhawan, senior medical officer (SMO) of Civil Hospital, Amritsar, stated that the authorities had been ready to conduct a autopsy of the deceased.
Police acquired details about the deaths on Monday night time. “We have learnt that all bought the liquor from a single source on Sunday evening. Some of them died on Monday morning, and locals cremated them without informing the police. Some people hid the fact and said the victims died of heart attack. We received information about the deaths late on Monday,” a neighborhood police official stated.
Deputy inspector basic of police (Border Vary) Satinder Singh stated seven folks, together with the primary accused, have been arrested and a probe was underway. 5 of the seven arrested have been recognized as Prabhjit Singh, the primary accused, Kulbir Singh, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh and Ninder Kaur, police stated.
Sawhney, together with Satinder Singh and Jalandhar Rural Police senior superintendent of police Maninder Singh visited the affected villages and met the households of the victims. “We deputed medical teams as soon as we got information about it (hooch tragedy). Our teams are visiting door to door. Even though those who consumed it are not symptomatic, we are insisting that they be admitted in the hospital for medical checkup,” the DC advised reporters in Amritsar.
She stated the victims had consumed the spurious liquor both on Sunday or Monday and began vomiting.
SSP Satinder Singh stated the primary accused, Prabhjit Singh, had acquired provides of fifty litres of methanol that he diluted and offered to folks in two-litre packets. “We are tracing and seizing each and every packet,” he stated.
The grilling of the primary accused revealed that Sahib Singh ordered methanol on-line after which distributed it, the police stated, including a case has been registered underneath the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Excise Act.
Anti-addiction drive ‘political theatre’: Bittu
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed chief minister Bhagwant Mann over the hooch tragedy.
“The liquor mafia rules, people are dying, and the Mann government is busy in self-indulgence. Punjab doesn’t need slogans anymore — it needs action. This is no longer about politics, it’s about lives,” the publish additional learn.