38 Die in Punjab After Consuming Spurious Liquor, CM Amarinder Singh Orders Magisterial Probe

 "I have ordered a magisterial enquiry into suspected spurious liquor deaths in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran. Commissioner, Jalandhar Division will conduct the enquiry and coordinate with concerned SSPs and other officers. Anyone found guilty will not be spared", tweeted CM Singh.  

New Delhi: At least 38 people have died after consuming spurious liquor in three districts of Punjab. Nineteen people died in Tarn Taran, 10 in Amritsar and nine in Batala after consuming liquor that appears to have been distilled in Amritsar’s Muchhal village. Police feared that the death toll could rise.

Chief Minister Captain Amarinde has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident took place in Punjab’s Amritsar, Batala and Tarn Taran districts. “I have ordered a magisterial enquiry into suspected spurious liquor deaths in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran. Commissioner, Jalandhar Division will conduct the enquiry and coordinate with concerned SSPs and other officers. Anyone found guilty will not be spared”, tweeted CM Singh.

The inquiry will look into the facts and circumstances leading to the incidents, an official statement said. It will be conducted by the Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar, along with the Punjab Joint Excise and Taxation Commissioner and the SP (Investigation) in districts concerned. The CM has given the Divisional Commissioner the liberty to co-opt any civil/police officer or any expert to facilitate the expeditious conduct of the probe.

The victims have been identified as Jaswinder Singh, Kashmir Singh, Kirpal Singh, Jaswant Singh, Mangal Singh, Balwinder Singh, Dalbir Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Kashmir Singh, Kaka Singh, Kirpal Singh, Jaswant Singh and Joga Singh, all residents of Muchhal village, Baldev Singh (Tangra). Those who died in Batala have been identified as Buta Ram, Bhinda, Riku Singh, Kala, Kalu, Billa and Jatinder. Those who died in Tarn Taran are Sahib Singh, Harban Singh, Sukhdev Singh and Dharam Singh.

Elaborating the incident, Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said the first five fatalities were reported from Mucchal and Tangra villages in Amritsar’s Tarsikka on July 29 night. On Thursday evening, two more people died under suspicious circumstances at Amritsar’s Muchhal village. One person died at Sri Guru Ram Das Hospital in Amritsar after being shifted from Tangra. Later, two more deaths were reported from Mucchal village while another two people died in Batala, also due to the consumption of spurious liquor. On Friday, five people died in Batala, taking the death toll in the city to seven, the DGP said, adding that four fatalities were reported from Tarn Taran.

Furthermore, he informed that police have arrested Balwinder Kaur, a resident of Muchhal village, under Section 304 of the IPC (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and under provisions of the Excise Act.

(With agency inputs)