SAGAR: At least 11 people have died since Saturday night, while nearly 40 others have been hospitalised after allegedly consuming suspected spurious liquor in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district
However, the death toll remained disputed, with state Congress chief Jitu Patwari claiming that 15 people had died in the incident. Sagar Collector Pratibha Pal confirmed 10 deaths, while Banda BJP MLA Virendra Lodhi put the toll at 11.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the deaths in the Banda-Shahgarh area as “extremely sad and unfortunate” and ordered strict action against those responsible, along with a detailed probe. Hours later, the state government suspended three key Excise officials and attached another official to Excise headquarters, besides ordering a high-level inquiry into the tragedy.
The Chief Minister also instructed Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, who holds the Excise portfolio, and the district in-charge minister to immediately visit the affected area and monitor the situation. Yadav is currently on an official tour of Dubai.
Several patients in critical condition were shifted to the district hospital and Bundelkhand Medical College in Sagar, while some were airlifted to Bhopal for specialised treatment.
Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, who is also the district’s in-charge minister, said 11 deaths had been confirmed due to consumption of toxic liquor. Four patients remain critical at Bundelkhand Medical College, while another was airlifted to AIIMS Bhopal. Around 40-45 patients at BMC, 17 at the District Hospital and eight at Banda hospital are stable and out of danger. Shukla said a comprehensive review meeting would be held to identify those responsible and assured that no guilty person would be spared.
Deputy CM Devda also sought an immediate report from officials and directed them to ensure a prompt probe, adequate medical treatment and relief for those affected.
“Initial investigations indicate that spurious liquor supplied to local villages caused the casualties, pointing to a serious lapse by local Excise officials,” Excise Commissioner Deepak Saxena told reporters in the affected area.
The Commissioner said Deputy Excise Commissioner, Sagar Division, Neerja Shrivastava, had been shifted to headquarters, while Assistant Excise Commissioner Kirti Dubey, ADEO Dilip Khandate and ESI Proshani Ureti had also been suspended.
Meanwhile, a preliminary police probe indicates a possible Uttar Pradesh link to the illicit liquor supply network, which is being verified by senior police officers, the Commissioner said.
The incident was reported from villages in Banda block, including Gogra-Khurd, Nauroj and Patan, where several people allegedly consumed liquor on Saturday night and later developed symptoms including vomiting, nausea and breathing difficulties. As their condition worsened, several were rushed to hospitals.
The incident has also brought an alleged cross-border illicit liquor network under the scanner. Preliminary findings suggest a racket in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur district may have been manufacturing counterfeit liquor and supplying it cheaply to villages in border areas of Sagar.
The suspected supply chain surfaced after Lalitpur Police recently busted a gang allegedly involved in manufacturing and distributing illicit liquor. During questioning, the accused reportedly told investigators that counterfeit liquor was being supplied to Banda and other areas of Sagar. The racket is suspected of using fake labels, bottle caps and QR codes to pass off counterfeit liquor as genuine. The consignments were allegedly transported by cars and motorcycles to villages in the affected area and its adjoining areas.
Investigators are verifying whether the liquor consumed by the victims came from the Lalitpur network and tracing its route to Sagar, along with those allegedly involved in its local distribution.
Banda police station SHO Rajendra Singh Kushwaha and Gugra Chauki in-charge Pooran Lal Ladia have also been suspended following the CM’s directions.
The administration has sealed liquor outlets in the affected area and intensified inspections of licensed and suspected illegal liquor points. Police and Excise teams are probing the source and distribution network.
Medical teams are conducting door-to-door screening in the affected villages.Officials have advised anyone developing symptoms after consuming liquor to seek immediate medical attention.
The tragedy has raised questions over liquor regulation in the region, with investigators probing the source, composition and extent of the suspected illicit supply network.