Punjab hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 104

AMRITSAR/PATIALA: The death toll in the Punjab hooch tragedy rose to 104 on Sunday, even as police continued raids to nab the accused in sale of spurious liquor and seized operating stills, 5,600 litre lahan (used for brewing liquor) and 1,212 bottles of illicit liquor villages of Patiala district.


Tarn Taran deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh said 75 people have died in the district alone, while of the 12 people under treatment, condition of one was critical.

Many victims cremated without kin informing admn: Tarn Taran DC

He said the administration put the figure at 75 on the basis of ground reports as many victims had been cremated without their families informing the administration. “Just about 29 persons had reported in hospitals. It is only after the administration traced more people that their number touched 75,” he said. So far, 18 people have been arrested in the case.

Inspector general, border range, S P S Parmar said 12 persons each had died Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts while three persons had been detained for questioning.

Supervising the raid operation in Patiala, SSP Vikram Jeet Duggal said police have arrested 13 persons over the last two days and registered 31 cases. Police also seized four operating stills and over 7,420 litres of lahan and 1,212 bottles of illicit liquor, he said.

Police have arrested Shisha Masih, Ranga Masih and Bhinder from Hajipur village under Julka police station and seized 2,600 litres of lahan and 25 bottles of illicit liquor. More than 3,000 litres of lahan was seized from Marauri and around 6,000 litres of caustic soda from Manjit Dhaba near Rajpura.

Duggal said Ghagga police had seized 120 litres of lahan from Parkash Ram of Drauli village, 65 litres from Kavita Devi, wife of Surjan Ram, on Saturday. Samana police seized 70 litres from Jaswinder Kaur, wife of Charna Singh, a resident of Achral Khurd, he added.

During raids at Marori, police seized around 150 litres of lahan from Sohan Singh, 70 litres from Bhola Singh, 120 litres from Makhan Singh, 100 litres from Melo, wife of Sukha Singh, and 50 bottles of illicit liquor.

Samana police nabbed two persons in a car (PB 11 AD 4109) used for smuggling 300 bottles of illicit liquor from Haryana.