Punjab hooch tragedy: 10 including kingpin arrested; Majitha DSP, SHO suspended

Ten individuals were arrested in connection with the death of at least 21 people who consumed spurious alcohol in the Majitha area of Punjab’s Amritsar, a top police officer said on Tuesday.

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Deputy Superintendent of Police (Majitha) Amolak Singh and Majitha Station House Officer Sub-Inspector Avtar Singh were suspended for “gross negligence” in discharging their official duties, which resulted in the tragic incident, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav told reporters here.

He said departmental inquiries have been initiated against the delinquents.

As many as 21 people have died in Bhangali Kalan, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Threawal, Talwandi Khumman and Karnala villages after consuming the toxic liquor, officials said. Six people have been hospitalised after developing health complications.

DGP Yadav said police have arrested 10 persons in connection with the illicit liquor trade. This includes the kingpin of the racket, local distributors and sellers, and the main suppliers of methanol, a fatal chemical used in industrial products.

The arrested kingpin of the racket has been identified as Sahib Singh.

The methanol suppliers were identified as Pankaj Kumar alias Sahil and Arvind Kumar, owners of Sahil Chemicals at Sukh Enclave in Ludhiana.

Police also arrested local distributors? Prabhjit Singh and Kulbir Singh, and local sellers Ninder Kaur, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, Arun alias Kala and Sikander Singh alias Pappu.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that methanol, after being procured online by kingpin Sahib Singh, was being used for manufacturing spurious liquor.

Investigation is underway to uncover the entire modus operandi and to bring all involved to justice, Yadav said.

“We all stand united in grief and in our resolve to ensure that justice is served and such tragedies are prevented in future,” the DGP said.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (Amritsar Rural) Maninder Singh, the investigations have revealed that the local distributor Prabhjit Singh had received methanol in a 50-litre jerry can from Sahib Singh.

Sahib Singh told police that he placed an online order to procure methanol from Ludhiana-based Sahil Chemicals.

The SSP said it was revealed that another consignment of methanol ordered by Sahib Singh from a Delhi-based firm is in transit.

Excise and police teams have been dispatched to seize the consignment as soon as it arrives, the SSP said, adding that all the culprits involved in the racket will be arrested.

Two separate cases have been registered at the Majitha police station and Kathunangal police station in Amritsar Rural, under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relevant sections of the Excise Act and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.