Amritsar (Punjab): In a replay of Punjab’s past liquor tragedies, 15 people have died and nearly a dozen others remain critically ill after consuming spurious liquor in several villages under the Majitha block of Amritsar district, officials confirmed on May 13. The toll is expected to rise, as several of the victims are battling for their lives at Amritsar Civil Hospital.
Mostly from Bhangali Kalan, Thariewal, Sangha, Marari Kalan and Patalpuri villages, the victims had allegedly consumed the illicit liquor on May 11 evening, authorities said. Some of them died by May 12 morning. According to the police, locals cremated the deceased without informing law enforcement.
“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,” said Majitha SHO Aabtaab Singh.
Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, who visited the civil hospital, confirmed the death toll and highlighted the urgency of the situation.
“An unfortunate tragedy has happened in Majitha. We got to know yesterday night, we received reports from five villages that those who consumed liquor yesterday are in critical condition. We rushed our medical teams. Our medical teams are still going door-to-door. Whether people have some symptoms or not, we are taking them to hospital so that we can save them. Fourteen people have died so far. The government is extending all the help possible. We are ensuring that this death toll does not increase…we have arrested the suppliers and further investigation is underway,” she said.
Amritsar Rural Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh provided additional details. “We received information around 9:30 pm last night that here people have started dying after consuming spurious liquor. We took action immediately and rounded up four people. We also arrested the main supplier, Parabjeet Singh. Upon his interrogation, we came to know about the kingpin supplier, Sahab Singh. We have rounded up him as well,” he said.
He said investigations are underway to ascertain the facts. “We have been given instructions from the Punjab government that strict action must be taken against suppliers of spurious liquor,” Singh said.
He said raids are underway…manufacturers will be rounded up soon. Two FIRs have been registered under stringent sessions…. “Civil administration and we are going door to door to find out more people who have consumed this to avoid further casualties and save people. Fourteen deaths have been confirmed and six people are presently hospitalised. This incident took place in five villages,” he added.
The Punjab government confirmed the registration of two FIRs in connection with the tragedy and announced the arrest of six individuals so far.
“Two FIRs have been registered and main suppliers – Prabhjit Singh and Sahib Singh – have been arrested from Rajasansi. Four other accused, who bought liquor from the suppliers and distributed to the villages, have also been arrested,” a government spokesperson stated.
Investigations have expanded beyond Punjab as teams look into the source of the illicit liquor and identify external firms involved in the supply chain.
“Investigating teams have also begun probing other states to apprehend firms supplying the illicit liquor,” the spokesperson added.
This incident has brought back grim memories of the 2020 hooch tragedy, in which nearly 130 people died and over a dozen lost their eyesight across the Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. The Majha region, once again, finds itself at the center of a tragic and preventable crisis.
Despite past incidents and subsequent crackdowns, the tragedy highlights persistent gaps in the monitoring and regulation of illicit liquor in the state.
Authorities are now racing against time – going door to door, identifying those who may have consumed the toxic brew and intensifying efforts to prevent the toll from climbing further.
The entire Majitha assembly constituency has been put on alert as the state administration and police scramble to contain the fallout of what may become yet another major hooch disaster in Punjab’s troubled history.
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