14 dead after drinking spurious liquor in Punjab's Amritsar, 5 arrested

At least 14 people have died in five Amritsar villages after consuming spurious liquor. Police have arrested five people, and a case has been filed. Punjab has seen similar tragedies in recent years.

At least 14 people have died in Punjab's Amritsar after consuming spurious liquor, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The deaths have occurred in five villages, Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Therewal, and Talwandi Ghuman, over the past two days.

Six other people have been hospitalised in serious condition after showing symptoms of alcohol poisoning. Doctors say they are being closely monitored and treated for toxic effects caused by the hooch.

Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney reportedly confirmed the fatalities and said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maninder Singh had reached the affected villages to lead the investigation. 

Police have arrested five people in connection with the case. The arrested individuals have been identified as Prabhjit Singh, the main accused, Kulbir Singh, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, and Ninder Kaur.

Officials said a case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Excise Act. Investigators are now trying to trace the source of the toxic alcohol and identify any larger network behind the supply.

Hooch tragedies in the past

India has witnessed several deadly hooch incidents over the years. In 2020, over 120 people died in Punjab’s Tarn Taran, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur districts after consuming tainted liquor. That incident triggered a massive crackdown on illegal alcohol trade in the state.

In 2023, more than 20 people died in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts due to illicit liquor consumption. Many of them had bought the alcohol from roadside vendors. Another major tragedy occurred in December 2022 in Bihar’s Saran district, where over 70 people reportedly died after drinking poisonous hooch. Bihar has banned liquor since 2016, but illegal sales continue.

These repeated incidents highlight ongoing issues with unregulated alcohol production and the urgent need for stricter enforcement across states.

The Amritsar tragedy has once again raised questions about the availability of illegal liquor and the effectiveness of local monitoring systems. Authorities have promised swift action and a deeper probe into how the poisonous alcohol reached the affected villages.