Locally Made Liquor Claims 18 Lives in 4 Days
Illegally produced liquor claims the lives of 18 individuals in India. (Photo: 112 Uttar Pradesh/Pexels)
In Haryana, India, the consumption of locally manufactured liquor has led to a troubling death toll of 18 within a span of four days, Hindustan Times reported on Sunday. In response to the situation, local law enforcement issued advisories on Wednesday, warning the public against consuming Malta liquor produced by Oasis Overseas Distillery with a batch date of November 16, 2021.
The victims, predominantly laborers, hailed from various districts, most notably Yamunanagar.
Local authorities have taken swift action in response to the crisis. A specialized investigative unit, spearheaded by the Yamunanagar police, has been established to delve into the matter. A total of ten individuals, including illicit vendors, have been apprehended in Yamunanagar, with an additional four arrests made in Ambala, all believed to be connected to the case.
The local law enforcement’s focus has intensified on tracing the origin of the spurious liquor supply. According to the report, the source was identified as a makeshift production site in Dhanoura village, falling under the jurisdiction of Mullana police station in Ambala district. A raid on the site uncovered 14 empty drums and materials employed in the illicit liquor manufacturing process.
Yamunanagar’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Himadree Kaushik, has issued warnings to residents, cautioning against the consumption of the implicated liquor brand.
“16 people have died here,” Kaushik said, according to Hindustan Times. “We arrested seven men earlier including a few prime accused, who have further disclosed involvement of several others. We are issuing warnings to the villagers to not consume the same brand of liquor in view of the tragedy.”
Additionally, political figures, including Haryana’s school education minister, Kanwar Pal, have pledged financial aid to the families affected by this incident.
“This is the biggest such tragedy in the history of Yamunanagar,” Pal said in the report. “A detailed report has been sought from the police department. We have ensured that no culprit will be spared and that those admitted at the hospital are given proper treatment. 10 police teams have been constituted to arrest the accused. Stock at all liquor vends in the area is also being checked.”
Meanwhile, opposition parties have seized the opportunity to critique the state government’s handling of such incidents, emphasizing the need for preventive measures against the burgeoning illegal intoxicant trade.
“The deaths are the result of the failure of the government,” an unnamed leader of the opposition said, per Hindustan Times.
This unfortunate incident is only the latest in a trend of fatalities linked to bootleg liquor production in regions where alcohol is illegal or difficult to obtain. In September, one individual died and seven were poisoned after unknowingly drinking counterfeit vodka at a wedding party in Uzbekistan. Two months prior, six Nigerians died after drinking locally made gin allegedly served to them by a friend.
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