Spurious liquor tragedy: Crackdown continues, 88 nabbed in 4 Punjab districts

Tribune Reporters

Patiala/Ferozepur, August 2

In a crackdown against illicit liquor trade, the state police arrested as many as 88 persons from Ferozepur, Mansa, Muktsar and Patiala districts.

It took over 100 deaths for the Patiala police to crack a whip against illegal liquor manufacturing hubs operating in various parts of the district which were supplying chemicals and liquor to various parts of the state. The police are trying to ascertain if chemicals from Ghanaur, Rajpura and Banur, meant for use in distilleries, were pilfered and used to make spurious liquor.

Three days after deaths in three districts, police teams raided illegal liquor distilleries and arrested 13 persons, registered 31 cases and sealed four illegal kilns besides recovering more than 7,420-litre ‘lahan’, other chemicals and 1,212 bottles of illicit liquor.

Sources said the police action against many illegal kilns came after intelligence inputs that large-scale liquor was being manufactured and sold illegally from Rajpura, Ghanaur and Sanaur. “With the active connivance of excise and local police officials, the accused involved in the trade continue their illegal manufacturing units and political patronage ensures them a safe passage,” a source said.

Shisha Masih, Ranga Masih and Bhinder were arrested from Hajipur village under the Julka police station with seizure of 2,600 litre ‘lahan’ and 25 bottles of illicit liquor. More than 3,000 litre ‘lahan’ had been recovered from Marauri. A senior police officer said till the time local leaders had the power to get SHOs and DSPs posted as per their choice, illegal liquor trade could not be controlled. “The active connivance of every local leader cannot be ruled out. Heads must roll for allowing Ghanaur and Rajpura become illegal liquor cartels of the state. Chemicals from these two towns are widely used across the state and property details of all local cops posted in these two towns must be probed,” he said. SSP Vikram Jeet Duggal said those who were putting the lives of people at risk by supplying and manufacturing spurious liquor would not be spared.

The Ferozepur police registered 28 cases under various section of the Excise Act within the past 48 hours and arrested 31 persons.

SSP Bhupinder Singh said the accused were booked in cases related to illicit trade of country-made liquor. The police had also seized over 1,100 liquor bottles and 853 kg ‘lahan’, he said. The SSP said the illicit liquor was mostly being produced in small hamlets and villages situated along the Sutlej.

Meanwhile, the Mansa police arrested 27 persons in 32 excise and NDPS Act cases registered in a single day in the district. The police also seized 3,730 intoxicating pills, 1,945 litre ‘lahan’ and 640 bottles of illicit liquor.

In order to tighten noose around persons involved in illicit liquor trade, the Bathinda police today conducted raids at industrial area in the city. Cops checked alcohol making and other units, which use methyl alcohol, at Focal Point. Methyl alcohol, which is mainly used in paint and plywood industry, is transported from the city to Manipur in tankers.

Sold illegally

Sources said the police action against many illegal kilns came after intelligence inputs that large-scale liquor was being manufactured and sold illegally from Rajpura, Ghanaur and Sanaur

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