CHANDIGARH, May 13: At least 15 labourers have died after consuming spurious liquor in the Majitha area of Amritsar district, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The victims, mostly brick kiln workers, hailed from Bhangali, Marari Kalan Therwal, and Patalpuri villages.
According to Superintendent of Police (Amritsar Rural) Maninder Singh, the main accused, Prabhjit Singh, has been arrested. Singh is believed to be the mastermind behind the supply of the toxic liquor. Additionally, other individuals including Kulbir Singh (alias Jaggu), Sahib Singh (alias Sarai), Gurjant Singh, and Ninder Kaur (wife of Jeeta) were also arrested in connection with the case.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed under Section 105 of the BNS and 61-A of the Excise Act. Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims all consumed liquor from a single source on the evening of Sunday, May 11. Some died on Monday, and locals cremated the bodies without informing the authorities. The police were alerted about the deaths later on Monday evening and immediately launched an investigation.
This incident follows a similar tragedy in March 2024, when 24 people died from consuming spurious liquor in Sangrur. Additionally, in 2020, over 100 people died in one of Punjab’s deadliest illicit liquor tragedies. The state’s ongoing fight against drugs, the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, recently marked its 72nd day, with the Punjab Police registering 6,280 FIRs and arresting over 10,000 drug smugglers. The police have also seized significant quantities of drugs, including 398 kg of heroin and 135 kg of ganja.
The Punjab government has vowed to tackle the issue of illicit liquor and drugs, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann directing authorities to make Punjab a drug-free state. The police continue to investigate the spurious liquor network and its broader implications.
