AMRITSAR, May 13 — At least 17 people have died and six others remain hospitalised, four of them critical, after consuming illicit liquor laced with methanol in the Majitha subdivision of Punjab’s Amritsar district, officials said Tuesday.
The tragedy unfolded across the villages of Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, and Therewal, with locals revealing that victims began falling ill soon after consuming the tainted alcohol on Sunday evening. Police said several families attempted to conceal the cause of death, attributing it to heart attacks and conducting cremations without informing authorities.
Nine people have been arrested, including the key suppliers of the toxic brew, and four officials—including the local excise and taxation officer (ETO) and deputy superintendent of police (DSP)—have been suspended for negligence. Two FIRs have been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Excise Act, police confirmed.
“These Are Murders, Not Deaths”: CM Mann
Visiting the affected families in Marari Kalan, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced ₹10 lakh compensation to each bereaved family and ₹2 lakh to those undergoing treatment. He also promised free education for the children of the deceased.
“These are not deaths, these are murders,” Mann posted on X, vowing strict action against all those responsible. “No one will be spared.”
The chief minister’s remarks were echoed by Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav, who revealed that methanol used to make the hooch had been procured online in bulk. “Nine persons, including the kingpin and several distributors, have been arrested. The investigation is ongoing to uncover the entire supply chain,” Yadav said in a social media post.
Among those arrested are main accused Prabhjit Singh and Sahib Singh, both apprehended from Rajasansi. Police say Sahib Singh had ordered 50 litres of methanol online, which Prabhjit Singh later diluted and sold in two-litre packets across the villages.
“We are tracing and seizing each and every packet,” said Deputy Inspector General (Border Range) Satinder Singh, who added that a door-to-door medical screening has been launched for asymptomatic individuals.
Additional arrests include Kulbir Singh, Gurjant Singh, and Ninder Kaur, who were involved in distribution. Local police confirmed that seven out of the nine arrested acted as village-level sellers.
Taking swift administrative action, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema ordered the immediate suspension of Majitha’s excise officer and inspector. DSP Amolak Singh and SHO Avtar Singh were also placed under suspension by DGP Yadav, pending departmental inquiries.
Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, alongside senior police officials, visited the villages and said that medical teams were deployed as soon as authorities were alerted. “We are urging all villagers who consumed the liquor to undergo a check-up, even if they are not showing symptoms,” she told reporters.
This is the third major hooch incident in Punjab in recent years. In 2020, over 130 people—mainly daily-wage workers—died in Tarn Taran, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur.
Earlier this year, in March 2024, 20 people in Sangrur lost their lives in a similar case involving toxic alcohol, raising serious questions about the state’s crackdown on illicit liquor networks.
Senior Medical Officer Swarnjeet Dhawan said authorities are awaiting post-mortem results to confirm the cause of death.
Political Reactions: “Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh Is Political Theatre”
As the state government faces criticism over the recurring tragedies, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu blamed the AAP-led administration for inaction.
“Families are being shattered by spurious liquor while the Bhagwant Mann government sleeps. Their ‘Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh’ campaign is nothing but political theatre,” Bittu posted on X.
“When the chief minister himself has a history with alcohol, how can the fight against addiction be sincere?”
He added, “The liquor mafia rules while people are dying. Punjab doesn’t need slogans anymore—it needs action.”
As investigations continue and more arrests are expected, officials said efforts are underway to trace the methanol procurement trail, dismantle the local supply network, and hold those responsible accountable.
