(ProsperNews.net) – Toxic moonshine claims 21 lives in northern India as authorities scramble to dismantle an illicit liquor network and prevent further casualties in Punjab villages.
At a Glance
- At least 21 people have died and 10 are hospitalized after consuming methanol-laced liquor near Amritsar, Punjab
- Nine individuals have been arrested for allegedly supplying the toxic moonshine
- The contaminated alcohol was distributed across five villages approximately 12 miles from Amritsar
- Local authorities have deployed medical teams to affected areas to identify and treat additional victims
- The tragedy mirrors a similar incident in Tamil Nadu last year that killed 53 people
Deadly Moonshine Claims Lives in Rural Punjab
A deadly outbreak of illicit alcohol poisoning has claimed 21 lives and hospitalized 10 others in rural villages surrounding Amritsar, Punjab. The incident, unfolding in five villages approximately 12 miles from the city, has prompted swift action from local authorities as they race to prevent additional fatalities. The poisonings stem from locally manufactured liquor contaminated with methanol, a toxic substance often added to illegally produced alcohol to increase potency that can cause blindness, organ damage, and death.
Senior police officer Maninder Singh confirmed that seven individuals were initially detained, with the number of arrests now rising to nine. “Seven people were arrested on allegations they supplied the toxic liquor in five villages around 19 kilometers (12 miles) from the city of Amritsar,” Singh stated. Law enforcement has launched an extensive crackdown aimed at dismantling the entire network responsible for manufacturing and distributing the lethal concoction.
Emergency Response and Ongoing Investigation
Punjab authorities have mobilized medical teams to monitor residents in the affected villages and identify anyone showing symptoms of methanol poisoning. Senior government official Sakshi Sawhney reports, “The local administration deployed medics to the villages to check on people who drank the contaminated liquor. Those showing symptoms are being shifted to hospitals to ensure the death toll doesn’t rise.”
“Investigation is underway to uncover the entire modus operandi and to bring all involved to justice,” according to a statement from Punjab police.
Punjab’s chief minister, Bhagwant Mann, has vowed to punish those responsible for the tragedy, as public outrage mounts over the incident. The investigation focuses on identifying the exact ingredients in the contaminated liquor and tracing the supply chain to its source. While initial reports indicated 14 deaths, an Amritsar district public relations officer later confirmed, “Now death toll is 21. And 10 admitted in hospitals.”
Recurring National Problem
This Punjab tragedy highlights a persistent public health crisis across India, where hundreds die annually from consuming cheap, illicitly produced alcohol. Those seeking affordable alternatives to commercially produced spirits often turn to moonshine made in backstreet distilleries with little to no quality control or oversight. Last year, a similar incident in Tamil Nadu resulted in 53 deaths from contaminated alcohol, underscoring the nationwide scope of the problem.
“The local administration deployed medics to the villages to check on people who drank the contaminated liquor, said Sakshi Sawhney, a senior government official in Amritsar. Those showing symptoms are being shifted to hospitals to ensure the death toll doesn’t rise, said Sawhney.”
Rural communities are particularly vulnerable to these poisonings, as economic factors drive many to choose dangerous homemade spirits over regulated products. The practice of adding methanol to increase potency represents a deadly gamble for unsuspecting consumers, who face potentially lethal consequences from even small amounts of the toxic substance. The recurring nature of these incidents across different Indian states indicates systemic challenges in regulating alcohol production and protecting public health.
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