Eleven individuals lost their lives due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district. Approximately 80 more people have been hospitalized, and investigations suggest a connection between individuals in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh, and a local liquor outlet owner.
Over two days in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, eleven lives were claimed due to the consumption of spurious liquor. The first fatality occurred at Banda Civil Hospital on Saturday night, followed by several more from early Sunday morning. Those who succumbed hailed from six villages: Ghooghra Khurd, Nauraj, Bamoora, Patan, Chauka, and Dalpatpur. According to reports by The New Indian Express, approximately 80 more individuals from four to five villages in the Banda tehsil have fallen ill and been hospitalized due to this incident. One critically ill patient was airlifted from Sagar Medical College to Bhopal for treatment.
Three cases have been registered based on the complaints of the victims, as reported by PTI. Sagar Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Shashindra Chouhan stated that two police officials – the Banda Police station house officer and an outpost in-charge – have been suspended due to this incident. During the investigation, a potential link has emerged between some individuals in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur and a local liquor outlet owner in Sagar.
Sagar Collector Pratibha Pal suggested that initial inquiries indicate the liquor originated from Lalitpur. 'There is a gang in Lalitpur that supplies this kind of poisonous liquor,' she said, adding that further investigation is underway. Additionally, Sagar Assistant Excise Commissioner Kirti Dubey, Additional District Excise Officer Dilip Kandaka, and Sub-Inspector Roshani Urathi were suspended, as stated by Madhya Pradesh Excise Commissioner Deepak Saxena. Apart from the two police officials, Area Deputy Commissioner Neerja Shrivastava has been transferred out of Sagar and attached to the department’s headquarters in Gwalior.
Saxena was quoted as saying by PTI that the packaging of the liquor looked original, like that of locally made brands. 'The agent of the licensed liquor seller sold it and people thought it was genuine,' he said.
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