How a Rs 20 saving led to deaths in MP's spurious liquor tragedy
Investigation into Madhya Pradesh spurious liquor deaths reveals victims were lured by cheaper prices and false assurances of authenticity.
The spurious liquor tragedy in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, which has claimed at least 15 lives, began with seemingly ordinary purchases of cheap alcohol in two villages, according to police investigators.
In Nauraj village, 25-year-old Rajendra Lodhi purchased a quarter of locally referred to as "Bambaiya" liquor for Rs 70. In Patan, 32-year-old Roshan Lodhi bought a quarter of "Sagar Gold" for Rs 60. Both men reportedly sought assurance that the cheaper product was not fake before buying, and both fell critically ill shortly after consuming the liquor, later dying during treatment.
Police have identified a suspected supply chain linking illegal village-level sellers to individuals allegedly involved in procuring, manufacturing, and distributing the cheap liquor. The investigation has revealed strikingly similar accounts from both villages, where victims were allegedly told the cheaper product was genuine and made using the "formula" of branded liquor.
Superintendent of Police Sujaniya confirmed that 14 people have been formally arrested and produced before a court, with police remand obtained for interrogation. One more accused is in custody, and the official death toll stands at 15 after a suspect undergoing treatment died.
In Nauraj, police have linked the deaths of Rajendra Lodhi, 30-year-old Kartar Singh Lodhi, and 28-year-old Digvijay Lodhi to liquor allegedly sold by Jujhar Lodhi and other local sellers. Investigators allege Jujhar told Rajendra and his uncle on September 4 that a "new cheap brand" had arrived, supplied through licensed liquor contractors Yashwant Singh, Manish Lodhi, and Ashish Sahu of Banda.
The liquor was allegedly moved through a chain of local sellers before reaching victims. When Rajendra reportedly asked whether it was fake or poisonous, Jujhar allegedly assured him it was the same brand, claiming Manish and Ashish had made it using the liquor's formula.
Family accounts paint a picture of rapid deterioration. Kartar Singh Lodhi drank liquor on Saturday afternoon and began vomiting after returning home. By evening, he was repeatedly losing consciousness and was taken first to Banda hospital, then to Sagar as his condition worsened. His niece said he developed vision problems, could not recognise family members, and had turned blue before dying at the medical college.
Rajendra Lodhi had been preparing to leave for Indore for work but stayed back after his sister returned home for Raksha Bandhan. He fell ill after consuming the liquor and died after being taken to hospital. His family said his sister repeatedly fainted and his father collapsed on seeing his son's body.
A second trail has emerged in Patan around the death of Roshan Lodhi. Police say he drank at Ram Singh Lodhi's premises on September 5 and returned home vomiting. Roshan reportedly told his uncle that Ram Singh said a new, cheaper liquor had arrived, manufactured through Chandu alias Chandrabhan Rajput of Tatarwara and licensed liquor contractor Siddharth Kushwah.
The police case alleges Rohit Shivhare of Chhatarpur and Raghvendra, Dharmendra, and Sohan of Tatarwara were involved in getting the liquor manufactured and moving it onward. Roshan had reportedly asked whether the liquor was fake or poisonous before buying the quarter of "Sagar Gold" for Rs 60, which was about Rs 20 less than at licensed shops.