CHANDIGARH: With 197 new cases and 135 more arrests in 24 hours, the Punjab Police has busted several modules as part of its state-wide crackdown on illicit liquor mafia. Meanwhile death toll in the hooch tragedy has gone up to 133.
According to DGP Dinkar Gupta, a total of 284 containers of methanol were seized from the Millar Ganj (Ludhiana) shop/godown of the key accused, Rajiv Joshi. Three of these 284 containers carrying fatal liquor were sold by the key accused, triggering a chain of deaths athwart Punjab. The current death toll in the state stands at 133.
DGP said while investigations into the tragedy were continuing and the two SITs set up to fast-track the FIRs, the police continued with coordinated raids across districts. The last 24 hours saw the recovery of 1,528 litre of illicit liquor, 7,450 kg of Lahan and 962 litre of smuggled illicit liquor in raids at various locations, he said, adding that 11 working stills were also recovered in the 197 cases registered since yesterday. The DGP said the Lahan was recovered by Amritsar Police in a special drive supervised by senior officers.