CHANDIGARH: ‘Shahi’ is the liquor brand that the people in Sangrur, the hometown of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, have come to dread. At least 20 people have died after consuming the methanol-laced liquor in the past few days. With Lok Sabha polls round the corner, the toll from the tragedy could also be political.
As a blame game intensifies, a probe by the state’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has led the investigators to Noida where the deadly methanol, an industrial ingredient, was bought from a factory. Two ‘masterminds’ are among 10 accused who have been arrested.
CM Bhagwant Mann today visited the Gujran village and met the families of the victims. He said the police have registered a murder case.
As per the excise department data, Punjab’s favourite drink continues to be countrymade liquor or Punjab Medium Liquor (PML) brands. In 2021-22 fiscal, Punjabis consumed 18 crore bottles of (almost 66%) Punjab Medium Liquor. In the same period, 1.5 crore cases of PML were sold.
Police said one of the arrested masterminds prepared spurious liquor at home and sold it in bottles with fake labels. All 17 boxes with spurious liquor have been accounted for.
The AAP government in Punjab is under fire from the opposition over the tragedy. The Punjab BJP chief also visited the village and condemned the state government.