Spurious Liquor

Gujarat 'sinking' amid rising drugs, illegal liquor menace: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday flagged the issues of "rising menace of drugs and illegal liquor" and the plight of farmers in Gujarat, and claimed that the state is "sinking" despite a double-engine government being in place. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that during the Congress party's ongoing 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' in Gujarat, people, especially women, have repeatedly stated that the "rising menace of drugs, illegal liquor, and crime" has deepened the sense of insecurity in their lives. "Gujarat is the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, where traditions of truth, morality, and justice have prevailed, but over the past few years, the future of the state's youth is being pushed toward the dark world of drugs and crime," Gandhi said in a post on X in Hindi. Women are taking to the streets in large numbers because criminals are receiving protection from those in power, while they themselves are met only with neglect, he claimed. "Gujarat is asking why i

Days after Amritsar hootch tragedy, 3 die consuming liquor in Ludhiana

Close on the heels of the Amritsar hooch tragedy that claimed 27 lives, three persons died after allegedly consuming liquor at Basti Jodhewal in Ludhiana district, police said Thursday. However, the exact cause of the deaths will be ascertained only after post-mortem examinations, ADCP Davinder Chaudhary said. Three labourers -- Rinku (40), Debi (27) and Mangoo (32) -- consumed liquor at a vacant plot along Noorwala Road on Wednesday night. Shortly after, they lost consciousness and began frothing at the mouth. They were rushed to the civil hospital, where doctors declared them dead, police said. Earlier this month, 27 people lost their lives in Amritsar after consuming spurious liquor, in which most of the victims were daily wagers. A probe revealed that methanol -- a chemical used in industrial products -- was procured in bulk online to prepare the toxic brew.

Spurious liquor deaths: Punjab Police seizes 600 litres of methanol

Punjab Police and excise officials on Tuesday seized 600 litres of methanol suspected to be connected to the spurious liquor tragedy that claimed 21 lives in Amritsar. Methanol is a light, colourless organic chemical compound that is poisonous when ingested and is illegally added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the normal consumable alcohol. The seized methanol is suspected to have direct links to the spurious liquor tragedy in Amritsar, said Senior Superintendent of Police (Patiala) Varun Sharma. The seizure was made from a truck near the Tepla police post on the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Shambhu-Banur Road, he said. Following the tragic incident in Amritsar, the deputy inspector general of police (Border Range) shared intelligence about a suspected consignment of methanol being transported from Delhi to Punjab. Acting swiftly, the police, in collaboration with the excise department, intercepted the truck near Tepla and seized three drums ...

9 held in illicit liquor case, DSP, SHO Majitha suspended: Punjab DGP

At least 14 people have died in five villages in Punjab's Amritsar after allegedly consuming spurious liquor, leading to the arrest of five accused, officials said on Tuesday. Police said six people have been hospitalised with complications caused by hooch. The deaths have occurred in five villages -- Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Therewal and Talwandi Ghuman. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney confirmed the death of 14 people and informed reporters that Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh reached the spot to take stock of the situation. Police said they have made five arrests in the incident. Those arrested have been identified as Prabhjit Singh, the main accused, Kulbir Singh, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh and Ninder Kaur, they said. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Excise Act, said the officials.

'Spurious liquor' claims seven lives in dry Bihar; police launch probe

While locals attribute the deaths to illicit liquor, police claim that at least two deaths were unrelated. The cause of the remaining five deaths remains unclear

Ten more die after 'consuming illicit liquor' in Bihar, toll rises to 35

Ten more people died after allegedly consuming illicit liquor in Bihar's Siwan and Saran districts, taking the toll in the hooch tragedy to 35, an official said on Friday. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Saran range, Nilesh Kumar said on Friday that while Siwan accounted for 28 fatalities, seven deaths have been reported from Saran. "As many as 28 people in Maghar and Auriya panchayats in Siwan district have so far died after consuming suspected illicit liquor. Seven people in Ibrahimpur area under the jurisdiction of Mashrakh police station in Saran district also died after consuming suspected spurious liquor", the DIG told PTI on Friday. The suspected hooch tragedy has triggered a political blame game with opposition parties questioning the efficacy of the ban on sale and consumption of liquor, imposed by the Nitish Kumar government more than eight years ago. Locals in both districts claimed that people lost their lives after "consuming illicit liquor". On the condition

Priyanka Gandhi slams Bihar govt on deaths, says trade of liquor rampant

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday slammed the NDA government over fatalities in Bihar's Siwan and Saran districts due to consumption of spurious liquor, saying liquor ban is in force in the state but illegal trade of spurious liquor is rampant. At least six people died and 14 others were hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in dry Bihar's Siwan and Saran districts, officials said on Wednesday. Four deaths were reported in Siwan and two in Saran. In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The news of death of a number of people due to consumption of spurious liquor in Siwan and Saran districts of Bihar is extremely saddening. May God grant peace to the departed souls." "My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. A large number of people are admitted in the hospital, I pray for their speedy recovery," she said. "Liquor ban is in force in Bihar but illegal trade of spurious liquor is going on in full swing, due to which deaths occur every

Bihar CM conducts high-level review after spurious liquor deaths in state

BJP leader Nitin Nabin said that action would be taken by the state government against all those involved in the incident

Spurious liquor kills 20 people in Bihar's Siwan, 4 dead in Chapra

Legal action is being taken against the Bhagwanpur SHO and Prohibition ASI of the Bhagwanpur Police Station, as per the District Magistrate Mukul Kumar Gupta

Spurious liquor claims 231 lives in Odisha over past 27 yrs, assembly told

As many as 231 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Odisha in 27 years between 1992 and 2019, Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan informed the assembly on Saturday. In a written reply to a question of Congress MLA Nilamadhab Hikaka, the minister said the highest number of 134 people died after consuming hooch in Cuttack district in 1992. He said 41 people of Tukulipada in the then Bhubaneswar & Cuttack district lost their lives after drinking such liquor in 2012. The minister said spurious liquor also claimed 20 lives in Puri in 2001, 19 in Ganjam district in 2006, ten (three in Khurda & seven in Bolangir) in 2009 and seven in Bhadrak district in 2019. Harichandan said that the government, at present, doesn't have any proposal to provide assistance and rehabilitation to people falling ill due to the consumption of hooch and those addicted to liquor. A total of 433 country liquor (Mahua) shops are operating in Odisha and the government has collected Rs 227 crore ..

14 fall ill after consuming spurious liquor in Odisha's Ganjam district

At least 14 people fell ill after allegedly consuming 'spurious' liquor in Odisha's Ganjam district, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place at Moundpur village in Chikita area late on Monday night. All the affected persons hailed from Karbalua village. They had consumed country liquor. Some of them complained of uneasiness and severe vomiting. They were rushed to the community health centre at Chikiti. Later 14 of them were shifted to the MKCH Medical College Hospital here. While 12 people were being treated at the medicine ward, two had been admitted to the ICU, police said. Excise Commissioner Narasingha Bhol and Ganjam district collector Dibyajyoti Parida visited the hospital. "Some people have been arrested on charge of selling illicit liquor. Samples of the liquor have been collected and sent for laboratory test", the district collector said. The excise commissioner said stringent action to be taken against the people undertaking illegal liquor business in the area.

Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy: 111 persons undergoing treatment in hospitals

At Puducherry 11 persons, in Salem district 30 persons, and in Villupuram district 4 persons are undergoing treatment at various government hospitals

Death toll in Sangrur spurious liquor case rises to 20; SIT formed

The death toll due to the suspected consumption of spurious liquor in Punjab's Sangrur district has climbed to twenty, with six more persons succumbing, officials on Saturday said. Meanwhile, a four-member special investigation team (SIT), led by an additional director general of police (ADGP) rank officer, has been set up in connection with the incident. Eleven people are undergoing treatment at Patiala's Rajindra Hospital and six at the Civil Hospital in Sangrur. Sangrur Civil Surgeon Kirpal Singh on Saturday said that 20 people have died so far in the incident. The officials said that the casualties have been reported from Gujran, Tibbi Ravidaspura and Dhandoli Khurd villages in Dirba and Sunam blocks. The police have made six arrests in the case so far, they said. The AAP government has been under fire from the opposition parties Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) over the Sangrur hooch tragedy. A case has already been registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Ind

Three dead, one hospitalised after drinking 'spurious' liquor in Bihar

Three persons died and one was admitted to hospital after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Bihar's Sitamarhi district, police said. Three persons have been arrested so far on charges of selling fake liquor, they said. "Following a tip-off that two persons were undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Sitamarhi after drinking spurious liquor, police reached the spot in the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. However, by the time they arrived at the hospital, one person identified as Awadesh Kumar had died. The exact cause of death can only be ascertained after post-mortem," a police statement said. Another person identified as Roshan Rai is undergoing treatment at the hospital and police are in touch with his family members, it said. During the course of investigation, police came to know that two more persons had died in the area after drinking spurious liquor. "Villagers informed police about the death of two more in the area. However, their bodies were cremated

TN tragedy was led by methanol consumption, not hooch, claims police

The tragedy that struck Ekkiyarkuppam and Perunkaranai villages of Tamil Nadu was due to the consumption of methanol, a deadly concoction made by illicit brewers, and not due to spurious liquor, the police claimed on Tuesday. The organic chemical was procured from a man from Puducherry by various persons and it was used to brew the spurious liquor, a release from the DGP C Sylendra Babu said. This light, volatile, colourless and flammable liquid is used for industrial purposes. Methanol has the odour of alcohol. "Due to the effective measures taken to prevent the brewing of illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu, and also the enhanced vigil to curtail the movement of the illicit liquor, resulted in its non-availability in the state. Few persons resorted to selling the chemical substance stolen from industrial units. Hence, this tragedy," the release said. Investigation is on to find out from which industrial unit this methanol was stolen and the nexus between those involved in this nefarious

6 dead after consuming spurious liquor, CM Nitish calls it sad incident

Reacting to the hooch tragedy in Motihari, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that it's a sad incident and asked for all information related to it

Five accused including mastermind arrested in Chhapra hooch tragedy

Police said the arrested people used to manufacture spurious liquor from chemicals and sugar in homoeopathic medicines

'Mastermind' among 5 arrested in Bihar's Saran hooch tragedy case

In a major breakthrough, the Bihar Police on Friday arrested five people, including the main accused, in the Saran hooch tragedy case, a senior officer said. A special investigation team, constituted by the state police in the incident, apprehended a homoeopathy compounder, allegedly the mastermind of the hooch tragedy that claimed 38 lives, Saran Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar said. "Police seized a vehicle, used for transporting chemicals from Uttar Pradesh and supplying liquors in and around Masrakh in Saran. Empty bottles of chemicals that were used in manufacturing spurious liquor were also recovered, the SP said. The SIT had earlier arrested nine people in connection with the case. "The preliminary investigation revealed that the mastermind with the help of his associates used to manufacture spurious liquor by mixing homoeopathy medicine and sugar. They (accused) used to supply illicit liquor in several areas of Saran district through their vendors or associates," he

Pathetic law and order responsible for Saran liquor tragedy: Giriraj Singh

BJP's firebrand leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh has said that the Saran liquor tragedy took place due to the pathetic law and order situation in Bihar

Police launch 'Operation Clean Drive' after hooch deaths in Bihar's Chhapra

Amid the hooch deaths in Bihar's Chhapra, with the toll currently at 72, the Saran Police on Monday launched Operation 'Clean Drive' against the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state