Hooch-Tragedy-Spurious-Alcohol-Kills-Over-15-in-Amritsar-Investigations-UnderwayPolitical Blame Game Intensifies After Deadly Hooch Tragedy in Amritsar

 

A deadly hooch tragedy in Amritsar's Majitha block, Punjab, has claimed over 15 lives. Many others are on the verge of death after drinking spurious liquor.
The victims, who belonged to villages such as Bhangali Kalan, Thariewal, Sangha, and Marari Kalan, were taken to the Amritsar Civil Hospital. Officials carefully observe the situation. Apprehension about an increase in the number of dead people is present.

 

Victims Buy Illicit Liquor from One Source

 

The victims drank the spurious liquor on Sunday night. By Monday morning, several of them had unfortunately passed away. Some of the villagers initially told others that they had died of heart attacks, keeping the actual cause hidden. But soon investigations confirmed the link to fake liquor.

 

Action Taken: Arrests and Investigations Ongoing

 

The Punjab state government rushed to register two FIRs and has made numerous arrests in the case. The key accused for supplying the spurious liquor, Prabhjeet Singh, was arrested along with his four associates, including the local vendors from the concerned villages.

It came into light through an enquiry that methanol, a harmful chemical, was being diluted and sold, and it caused the deaths.

 

Kingpin Supplier and Methanol Used in the Hoax

 

Sahib Singh, the kingpin dealer, was also arrested. He had bought 50 liters of methanol, which were thinned down to make 120 liters of poisonous liquor. The police are using the Excise Act and other tough legal provisions to tackle the illegal alcohol trade in the state.

 

Political Outcry and Demands for Action

 

The government of Punjab has come under severe criticism after the tragedy. Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal blamed the AAP government for not stopping the illicit liquor business.

He described the tragedy as a ‘state-sponsored disaster’ and demanded compensation for the victims' families. Badal also asked the government to act swiftly against illegal distilleries.

Continued Attempts to Avoid Further Fatalities

As a reaction to the tragedy, officials are conducting door-to-door rounds in the affected villages. The intention is to avoid more loss of life and prevent people from drinking the poisonous liquor. The police warned citizens that the impact of spurious liquor takes 24 to 48 hours to be noticed, advising caution.
This tragic incident pins down the continuing problem of the illicit liquor trade in Punjab, as such incidents have taken place in the past few years.