BHOPAL: A suspected interstate network operating from Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh has come under the scanner of the Madhya Pradesh Police following a series of deaths allegedly linked to spurious liquor in Sagar district.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the network allegedly manufactured counterfeit liquor in Lalitpur and supplied it at low prices to villages in Sagar district and nearby areas, officials said.
The suspected racket came to light during a recent investigation by Lalitpur Police, which busted an illegal liquor network. During the questioning of arrested suspects, police allegedly found that spurious liquor was being supplied to the Banda area of Sagar district and other locations in Madhya Pradesh.
Officials said the villages where deaths have been reported since Sunday morning fall under Banda tehsil in Sagar district.
According to official sources, Lalitpur resident Ravi Lakhera, his wife Shivani Lakhera, Chandresh Lodhi and Mona Raja allegedly manufactured spurious liquor in Lalitpur. The liquor was allegedly packed with fake labels, bottle caps and QR codes to resemble genuine products before being transported to Madhya Pradesh using cars and motorcycles.
Madhya Pradesh Police are investigating the suspected supply chain and its local links. Villages identified during the preliminary inquiry include Bandari, Badodiya, Gogra Khurd, Noraj and Bairaj, along with other settlements along the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border.
Officials are also trying to establish whether the liquor linked to the recent deaths originated from the same network. The investigation is focusing on how the consignments crossed the state border, who received them in Sagar and whether local intermediaries were involved in distributing the liquor.
Following the deaths, authorities have intensified inspections of licensed liquor shops and suspected illegal liquor outlets across Sagar district. Raids are also being carried out to trace those allegedly involved in the distribution network.
Police said the investigation is at an early stage, and further arrests and details about the suspected network are expected as the probe progresses. Authorities are also examining whether the racket had been supplying spurious liquor to other parts of the district over a longer period.
