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Scroll.in
14-05-2025
- Scroll.in
Toll due to spurious liquor in Punjab rises to 21, two police officers suspended
The toll from the consumption of allegedly spurious liquor in Punjab's Amritsar has risen to 21, up from 14, with most of the dead said to be daily wage earners, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday quoting police officials. Ten others were also taken to the hospital. Majitha Deputy Superintendent of Police Amolak Singh and Station House Officer Avtar Singh have been suspended for 'negligence [that] resulted in the fatal incident'. Departmental inquiries have also been launched against them, Punjab police chief Gaurav Yadav said. The incident took place on Monday night. The deaths were confirmed by Amritsar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh. The deaths took place in seven villages in Majitha: Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Therewal, Karnala, Bhangwan and Talwandi Ghuman. The total number of arrests in the case has also increased to 10, including the main suspect Sahib Singh and distributor Prabhjeet Singh, Maninder Singh said. The others who were arrested included another distributor, Kulbir Singh, and local sellers Ninder Kaur, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, Arun aka Kala and Sikander Singh aka Pappu. The senior superintendent of police added Prabhjeet Singh received 50 litres of methanol from Sahib Singh, who sourced it online from a Ludhiana-based company. He then diluted it and sold it to locals in two-litre packets. Sahib Singh had purchased the methanol from Pankaj Kumar alias Sahil and Arvind Kumar, owners of Ludhiana-based Sahil Chemicals. The police official added that a methanol shipment ordered by Sahib Singh was on its way from Delhi, and teams were prepared to seize it. Meanwhile, 600 litres of methanol were also seized in a joint operation by Patiala Police and the Excise Department. Methanol is a poisonous chemical compound that is sometimes illicitly mixed with alcoholic drinks as a cost-effective replacement for ethanol, the standard consumable alcohol. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each deceased's family and assured that the state government would cover the full education expenses of their children. 'These are not deaths, these are murders,' Mann was quoted as saying. 'Such a tragedy could not have occurred without political, bureaucratic, or police support.'
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Time of India
Punjab hooch tragedy: Most Victims were labourers and small-scale workers
Jasbir Kaur, wife of Sukhwinder Singh, who died after consuming spurious liquor with their kin at a village in Amritsar district AMRITSAR: Twenty-one people from seven villages of Majitha assembly constituency falling in Amritsar district of Punjab died after consuming spurious liquor, police said on Tuesday. Ten others were undergoing treatment, and the condition of four of them was reported to be critical. The kingpin of the racket was among the 10 people arrested. Majority of those who lost their lives were small-scale workers and daily wage labourers from Marari Kalan, Bhangali Kalan, Threawal, Patalpuri, Talwandi Khumman, Karnala and Bhangwan villages. Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said in a post on X that those responsible for the deaths of innocent people would not be spared. The opposition parties in state slammed the Mann govt for failing to rein in the alleged liquor mafia. They also sought the resignation of Mann and state excise minister Harpal Singh Cheema. Amritsar deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said they had received reports of several people falling seriously ill due to the consumption of toxic liquor on Monday night. Following this, a team of doctors was immediately dispatched to the affected area to provide medical assistance and remained there on Monday night. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo "Health teams are conducting door-to-door visits, urging anyone who may have consumed the spurious liquor to undergo a medical check-up, as symptoms can manifest within 24-48 hours," she said. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav announced that 10 people, including the kingpin of the racket, along with several local distributors of methanol —a fatal chemical used in industrial products —were arrested. Those arrested included the kingpin, Sahib Singh, and main suppliers of methanol Pankaj Kumar alias Sahil and Arvind Kumar, who are the owners of Sahil Chemicals at Sukh Enclave in Ludhiana. Police also arrested local distributors Prabhjit Singh and Kulbir Singh, and local sellers Ninder Kaur, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, Arun alias Kala, and Sikander Singh alias Pappu. According to Yadav, preliminary investigation revealed that methanol was procured online by Sahib Singh, and used for manufacturing spurious liquor. Giving further details, Amritsar Rural senior superintendent of police (SSP) Maninder Singh said that local distributor Prabhjeet Singh received the methanol in a 50-litre jerrycan from the kingpin. The SSP said that the latter confessed that he had ordered the methanol from a Ludhiana-based chemical firm, Sahil Chemicals, via an online platform, and another consignment from a Delhi-based firm. Excise and police teams had been dispatched to retrieve and seize the second consignment as soon as it arrives, he said. Police registered two separate FIRs at Majitha and Kathunangal under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Excise Act, and section 3 of the SC/ST Act. Shedding light on the method of distribution, the SSP said Sahib Singh paid some bus operators to distribute the methanol. Connections were also being traced to other states involved in supplying chemicals to Punjab, he added. DSP, SHO suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Amolak Singh of Majitha subdivision and Police Station Majitha Station House Officer (SHO) Avtar Singh were suspended for gross negligence in discharging their official duties which resulted in the fatal incident. Departmental inquiries were also initiated.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Amritsar hooch tragedy: Methanol sourced via online platforms, say cops
The arrest of 10 individuals, including kingpin identified as Sahib Singh, in connection with the death of 21 people who consumed spurious alcohol in Majitha has revealed the modus operandi of the accused, who used to source methanol in bulk from various places, including Ludhiana and Delhi, via online platforms, a top police officer said on Tuesday. Police officials informed that methyl alcohol or methanol, popularly known as wood spirit, is used in making spurious liquor instead of extra neutral alcohol (ENA). Methanol is a light, colourless organic chemical compound which is poisonous when ingested and is illegally added to alcoholic beverages as a cheaper alternative to ethanol, which is the normal consumable alcohol. As per the police officials, the accused diluted the methanol with water before selling it in small pouches priced at ₹10-20. DIG (border range) Satinder Singh said this was the first time that the kingpin and distributor procured the methanol. 'Prabhjit added water to dilute it and supplied it to the local distributors. The local distributors further sold this liquor to the people in pouches.' Sharing details of modus operandi, senior superintendent of police (Amritsar rural) Maninder Singh said the investigations have revealed that the local distributor Prabhjeet Singh had received methanol consignment in 50-litre jerrycans from kingpin Sahib Singh. 'During questioning, Sahib Singh revealed he had ordered the methanol from a Ludhiana-based chemical firm, Sahil Chemicals, via an online platform,' the SSP said. The owners of the Ludhiana firm are among those arrested. Apart from Sahib Singh, the main suppliers of methanol have been identified as Pankaj Kumar alias Sahil and Arvind Kumar, owners of Sahil Chemicals at Sukh Enclave in Ludhiana. Police have also arrested local distributors, identified as Prabhjit Singh and Kulbir Singh; and local sellers, identified as Ninder Kaur, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, Arun alias Kala and Sikander Singh alias Pappu. DIG (border range) said that an initial probe has revealed that another consignment of methanol, around 600 litres, was also ordered by the kingpin from a Delhi-based firm and has been seized. 'Excise and police teams retrieved and seized the consignment as soon as it arrived,' he said. 'It was learnt from the mobile phone of the main accused that he had ordered 600 litres more methanol to manufacture the spurious liquor. However, it was en route and was not delivered to the address given by Sahib Singh. The consignment was seized by the police', the DIG added. Patiala SSP Varun Sharma confirmed the development and said that the driver of the vehicle has been arrested. 'The seizure was made after DIG (border range) on Tuesday morning shared the intelligence input following the arrest of the main accused in Amritsar. The consignment was en route from Delhi to Punjab and was seized in collaboration with the excise department near Tepla. Three drums containing 600 litres of methanol mixed chemical concealed among other goods in the truck were recovered,' Sharma said. He also said that one accused, identified as Navdeep Singh of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar, has already been arrested in this case. 'A thorough investigation has already begun to ascertain the role of the arrested driver. Besides, we are looking at where the methanol was procured,' the SSP added.
The Print
13-05-2025
- The Print
Amritsar hooch tragedy: ‘Kingpin', 9 others arrested, Majitha DSP, SHO suspended for negligence
The Amritsar district administration received information Monday night about the deteriorating health of people from multiple villages in Majitha sub-division of the rural police district. Overall, 31 people who consumed the spurious liquor were admitted in hospital, of which 21 people succumbed. Majitha Deputy Superintendent of Police Amolak Singh and Station House Officer Sub-Inspector Avtar Singh were suspended for gross negligence and a departmental enquiry initiated against them. New Delhi: The Punjab Police Tuesday arrested 10 people including the alleged kingpin behind the distribution of spurious liquor that led to the deaths of 21 people in Amritsar district. Paying a visit to the epicentre of the tragedy, Bhangali village, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that no one, irrespective of their clout, will be spared because poor people have been killed in the tragedy. He announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for the kin of the victims as well government jobs for family members. Mann said a police probe has so far revealed that the kingpin had ordered around 600 litres of methanol, adding that the entire supply chain will be established. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said the district's medical team has been going door-to-door to check for symptoms. 'Gross negligence' The Punjab Police lodged two FIRs under sections 105 and 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 61A of the Excise Act and Section 3 of the SC/ST Act at Majitha and Kathunangal police stations in the district. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said accused Sahib Singh had been identified as the main supplier of the methanol, along with local distributors and sellers Prabhjit Singh and Kulbir Singh, Ninder Kaur, Gurjant Singh, Arun alias Kala and Sikander Singh alias Pappu. Two methanol suppliers had also been identified—Pankaj Kumar alias Sahil and Arvind Kumar, owners of Ludhiana-based firm Sahil Chemicals. Amritsar Rural SSP Maninder Singh said Sahib Singh had ordered methanol via an online platform from Sahil Chemicals, and the substance was further handed over to local distributor Prabhjeet Singh in jerry cans from kingpin Sahib Singh. SSP Singh further said that another consignment of 600 litres of methanol ordered by Sahib Singh from Delhi had been seized by Patiala district police based on a tip-off. (Edited by Gitanjali Das) Also Read: Stoicism with a hint of anguish—a view of India-Pakistan tensions from border villages near Amritsar
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Hooch laced with toxic methanol kills 21 in Amritsar, 10 arrested
Police have registered an FIR MARARI KALAN (AMRITSAR): Methanol-spiked hooch killed 21 people in seven villages of Punjab's Amritsar district since Monday night, putting the AAP govt in the line of fire over what the opposition said was a consequence of giving the liquor mafia free rein. Till late Tuesday, four of 10 others hospitalised with symptoms of methanol poisoning were in a critical condition. The alleged kingpin of the racket was among 10 suspects arrested within hours of the deaths as the administration scrambled to fix accountability, including suspending DSP Amolak Singh and station house officer Avtar Singh in Majitha subdivision for negligence. DGP Gaurav Yadav said alleged kingpin Sahib Singh procured methanol from a Ludhiana company. DGP Gaurav Yadav said alleged kingpin Sahib Singh procured methanol – a toxic alcoholic compound used as a solvent in industrial products like plastics, paints and textiles – from a Ludhiana company through an online platform and another consignment from a Delhi-based firm. Methanol suppliers Pankaj Kumar, alias Sahil, and Arvind Kumar, who co-own Sahil Chemicals at Sukh Enclave in Ludhiana, were arrested along with local distributors Prabhjit Singh and Kulbir Singh, and liquor retailers Ninder Kaur, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, Arun and Sikander Singh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Amritsar Rural SSP Maninder Singh said Prabhjit received methanol in a 50-litre jerry can from Sahib and diluted it in an unspecified volume of liquor stock sold through various outlets. Most of the victims and those battling for life after consuming this hooch are daily-wage and industrial workers from Marari Kalan, Bhangali Kalan, Threawal, Patalpuri, Talwandi Khumman, Karnala and Bhangwan villages. 'No matter how big and influential the leader or the police officer is, no one will be spared who sells poison in the name of alcohol,' CM Bhagwant Mann wrote on X, also announcing Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the kin of each of the deceased. Opposition parties demanded that Mann and state excise minister Harpal Singh Cheema resign for the lapses that led to the hooch deaths. Amritsar DC Sakshi Sawhney said the administration was informed of people taking ill after drinking liquor late on Monday. A medical team was immediately dispatched to the affected areas. 'Health teams are conducting door-to-door visits, urging anyone who may have consumed spurious liquor to undergo a medical check-up, as symptoms can manifest within 24-48 hours,' she said. Police registered an FIR each at Majitha and Kathunangal under sections of the new penal code BNS, the Excise Act, and Section 3 of the SC/ST Act. SSP Maninder Singh said the suspected kingpin paid bus operators to distribute the methanol that was used to spike liquor. The hooch trail could lead to other states, investigators said.
