Ludhiana: ‘Spurious' liquor death toll mounts to three

Hindustan Times

23-05-2025

The death toll in the Ludhiana 'spurious' liquor rose to three as two more persons, who were admitted to hospital, died on Thursday morning.
Rinku, 40, died on Wednesday night, while on Thursday morning two others identified as Debi, 27, and Mangu Sharma, 32, died.
The trio had consumed country-made liquor 'Rasbhari' purchased from a local vend, officials said.
The incident has exposed glaring contradictions between the Ludhiana district administration and the police department with no one providing clear-cut answers to the cause of deaths. The incident comes close to the heels of the Amritsar hooch tragedy in which 27 people, primarily daily-wage workers, died.
The post-mortem of the trio was conducted on Thursday and the viscera has been sent to forensic science laboratory for chemical analysis, deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain said, adding that the doctors are not sure of the exact cause of death yet.
'We are waiting for the post-mortem and chemical report,' the DC said.
Police have lodged an FIR under Sections 105 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 68, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act, stating that the victims died after consuming country-made liquor.
The FIR has been lodged not on the complaint of the victim's kin but on the statement of one Anil Kumar—an acquaintance who admitted he was present when the victims consumed the liquor but claimed he didn't drink himself.
Tehsildar Amritbir Singh, who visited the hospital on Wednesday, publicly claimed 'no smell of liquor was emitting from the bodies,' implying that alcohol may not be the cause. His statement directly contradicts the FIR, which was filed based on a witness account confirming consumption of the liquor.
According to sources at the Civil hospital, Ludhiana intoxicants were found in the system of the deceased, although no 'smell of liquor' was detected.
Ludhiana commissioner of police Swapan Sharma said that samples have been collected from vend from which the liquor was allegedly procured. 'Action will be taken after forensic verification,' he said.
Kartar Singh, brother of victim Debi, accused the police of inaction. 'Drugs and illegal liquor sales are rampant in our area. If the police had cracked down earlier, my brother and the other two would still be alive,' he said.
The victims came from marginalised and economically weak sections. Rinku was a beggar and leaves behind three children, Mangu worked at a sweet shop, and Debi was a daily wager. Their deaths, many fear, may soon be forgotten under bureaucratic jargon and forensic delays unless strong action is taken.
Opposition slams govt
Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that
chief minister Bhagwant Mann and the excise minister Harpal Singh Cheema should be held responsible for the deaths.
Warring and Ashu condemned the AAP government's failure to control and prevent the production and supply of spurious liquor in the state.
'It's shocking. The victims had purchased the liquor reportedly from a government-approved vend. The manufacturers of spurious liquor have no fear of law,' Warring said.
Pritpal Singh Baliawal, spokesperson for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said: 'Is this the 'Rangla Punjab' that Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann promised?'
Balliawal demanded️ ₹10 lakh compensation and a job for each victim's family.