The Punjab Police said on Tuesday that fourteen people died and six others have been admitted to hospital due to illicit liquor in five villages under Majitha block of Amritsar.
Police said the chief distributor or gangster has been arrested in this incident on the night of May 12.
Sakshi Sahni, deputy commissioner of Majitha Amritsar, said, “There has been an unfortunate tragedy in Majitha. We came to know last night, we got a report from five villages that the condition of alcohol drinkers is critical yesterday. We sent our medical teams. Our medical teams are still going from house to house.”
The deputy commissioner said, “People are signs or not, we are taking them to the hospital so that we can save them. So far 14 people have died. The government is helping them all possible. We are making sure that this figure of deaths does not increase … We have arrested suppliers and further investigation is going on …”
The police have also arrested four other people in the case as they were involved in distributing illegal liquor to the villagers in Majitha. An FIR has been lodged under Section 105 of the Indian Justice Code (BNS) and Section 61A of the Excise Act.
Maninder Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Amritsar (Rural) said that the main accused has been identified as Prabhjeet Singh. Police said the other people arrested in the case include the chief distributor’s brother Kulbir Singh alias Jaggu, Sahib Singh alias Sarai, Gurjant Singh and Ninder Kaur.
SSP Singh said, “We received information at around 9:30 pm last night that people were dying here by drinking fake liquor.
He said, “We have been given strict instructions from the Punjab government to take strict action against the suppliers of fake liquor. The raid is going on.”
He said that the police have registered two FIRs against the manufacturers and distributors and have registered a case under strict sections. The SSP said that the police would busted the entire distribution network. It also told that the said incident took place in five villages and the civil administration along with the police is going door-to-door to find out those who have consumed illegal liquor, so that more loss of loss of life can be avoided.
He said, “The manufacturers will be arrested soon. Two FIRs have been lodged under rigorous sections. Our goal is to demolish the entire distribution network.”
SSP Singh said, “Civil administration and we are going from house to house to find out who has eaten this poison, so that more people can be saved. 14 people have been confirmed and six people are still hospitalized. The incident happened in five villages.”
