38 spurious liquor deaths in Punjab, probe ordered

Thirty-eight people have died in Punjab due to alleged consumption of spurious liquor. The deceased were residents of Tarn Taran, Batala and Amritsar districts. Punjab CM Capt Amrinder Singh has ordered a magisterial inquiry by Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar.

The relatives of the five deceased (Dalbir Singh, Balwinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Mangal Singh and Baldev Singh) on Thursday cremated their bodies without informing the police. One person is reported to be critical in the suspected hooch tragedy.

Total 38 people died due to drinking poisonous liquor, out of which at least 15 deaths have been reported in Tarn Taran and two people died in Amritsar on Friday and two in Batala. In two days, nine people died in Amritsar and six in Batala after consuming poisonous liquor.

Expressing grief, Capt Amarinder Singh has ordered the Divisional Commissioner of Jalandhar to conduct a magisterial inquiry in the case of recent deaths due to poisonous liquor.

The Joint Exercise and Taxation Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of the respective districts will also be involved in this investigation.

“The inquiry will look into the facts and circumstances leading to incidents, as well as into any other issue(s) connected or relevant to the incident (s) and the circumstances leading to it. It will be conducted by Divisional Commissioner Jalandhar, along with Joint Excise & Taxation Commissioner Punjab, and SPs Investigation of the concerned districts,” said an official spokesperson. Capt Amarinder also directed the police to launch a search operation to crack down on any spurious liquor manufacturing units that may be operating in the state.

 The first five cases of death were reported in the village of Muchhal and Tangra in Amritsar rural area. On Friday, 16 more people died in the surrounding village. It is alleged that in many houses of the village, country liquor is sold out.