Suspected spurious liquor claims two lives in Sonepat

Two men were found dead under mysterious circumstances near a pond in Tajpur Tihar Khurd village of Sonepat district on Saturday evening. The police recovered a bottle of country-made liquor from the spot, sparking suspicion among villagers and family members that the two may have died after consuming spurious liquor.

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The deceased have been identified as Om Prakash (62) and Satender (42), both residents of the village. According to eyewitnesses, their bodies were spotted near the pond late Saturday evening. Locals immediately informed the police, following which a team from Sadar Police Station, accompanied by forensic experts, reached the spot.

The bodies were sent to the civil hospital mortuary for postmortem. A bottle of country-made liquor was recovered close to where the bodies were found, which raised concerns among villagers.

Family members of the deceased confirmed that both men were seen drinking together near the pond earlier in the day. "They consumed liquor from the same bottle. We suspect it was spurious. Authorities must investigate how such liquor is being sold so openly," a family member said, demanding a fair and thorough inquiry into the incident and the source of the liquor.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP-West) Kushal Pal Singh said, “Prima facie, it appears that both were habitual drinkers. On Saturday, they were drinking near the village pond when the incident occurred. Their bodies have been sent for postmortem, which will be conducted by a medical board.”

“The exact cause of death will be known only after the postmortem report,” he added.

The DCP further informed that excise department teams were called to the site and liquor samples have been collected for testing. "We are probing all possible angles, including where the liquor bottle was procured from," he said.

The incident has triggered anxiety in the village, with residents urging authorities to curb the sale of illicit or low-quality liquor in the region.