PATIALA: A day after a number of deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor had rocked Gujjran village of Dirba in Sangrur, the police on Friday claimed to have busted a gang involved in selling Spurious liquor in the area. The death toll has climbed to eight whereas 12 persons are hospitalized and undergoing treatment.
The spurious liquor, bottles, other equipment was recovered from house of accused Harmanpreet Singh of Taipur village of Patran, Patiala, during police raid yesterday night.
The police claimed to have arrested all four members of this gang involved in this illegal trade and recovered in huge quantities the spurious liquor and other equipment being used for its manufacturing and labelling.
Arpit Shukla, Special Director General of Police, Punjab, on Thursday said that during the initial investigations done under supervision of Harcharan Singh Bhullar DIG Patiala Range, and DC and SSP Sangrur, it has been found that the accused Manpreet and Sukhwinder, both residents of village Gujjran arrested on Wednesday, had purchased liquor from Gurlal Singh of Ubhawal village of Sangrur and sold it further.
Due to the consumption of this spurious liquor four residents of Gujjran village died on Wednesday morning whereas four others who were undergoing treatment at Rajindra Hospital Patiala, also died later, thus bringing the total number of casualties to 8. The police claimed that the cause of death of Nirmal Singh was, however yet to be ascertained.
The police have recovered 200 liters of Ethanol, 13 boxes of Alcohol comprising total 156 bottles, 80 opened bottles containing spurious liquor without labelling, 130 bottles containing spurious liquor with labelling, 4500 empty bottles, 4600 bottle caps, 10 liters cane containing molasses, 25 liters cane containing colour, one each bottling machine, laptop, printer, packet of plan paper, eight Alcohol meters, four viols of black colour for colouring caps of bottles, some print outs of stickers matching with spurious alcohol bottles, one Honda Amaze car with Patiala registration number, a tub and bucket, and 315 cardboards for making boxes.
Among the eight deceased identified as Bhola Singh, 55, Jagjit Singh, 27, two brothers Pargat Singh, 40 and Nirmal Singh, 40, died on Wednesday whereas Laddi Singh, 27, of Gujjran village, Gursewak Singh of Uppali village, Kirpal Singh and Kuldeep Singh, 26 of Dhandoli Khurd village succumbed later to the toxic effects of spurious liquor consumption after being referred to government Rajindra hospital. Medical Superintendent Dr HS Rekhi said that two of these were brought dead while remaining two succumbed during treatment.
The 12 victims are still undergoing treatment including seven at government Rajindra hospital. The police have identified these patients as Veerapl Singh, 23, Ram Chand, 65, Beant Singh, 50, Harpal Singh, 34, Sami Singh, 40, Gurjant Singh, 55, Jarnail Singh, Gurjeet Singh, Randhir Singh, Satnam Singh, Babli and Lakhwinder Singh, all of Gujjran village of Dirba.
The police on Wednesday registered a case under sections 302 (murder) and 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 61/1/14 of Excise Act at Dirba police station on the statement of Babli Rani who is wife of deceased Jagjit Singh Gujjran. The case was registered against accused Manpreet Singh and Sukhwinder Singh of Gujjran village who were arrested on the same day. Another accused Gurlal Singh of Ubhawal village was figured as the mastermind behind this entire tragedy and arrested shortly thereafter. The accused Gurlal disclosed the name of Harmanpreet Singh of Taipur village of Patran, Patiala, as his accomplice and he was nabbed too.
The police said that accused Sukhwinder Singh was already booked in four cases and Manpreet was booked in two cases in the past under IPC sections and sections of Excise Act whereas accused Gurlal was already booked in five cases under various sections of IPC and accused Harmanpreet was already booked under IPC sections including kidnapping.
In order to trace the source of spurious liquor, the fact-finding Committee comprising of SDM Dirba, DSP Dirba, SMO Dirba, Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) and SHO Dirba was constituted by Sangrur Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday and was asked to submit its report within three days.
The police added, “Further, to check the early symptoms in case of any adversity due to consumption of this spurious liquor, multiple teams comprising of Health officials, Anganwadi workers, Police, Revenue and Rural development officials have been formed in every sub-division who are conducting door to door surveys. The gang had just started selling spurious liquor in the area in view of the forthcoming Parliamentary elections to Lok Sabha-2024. The gang could have affected the peaceful conduct of elections by luring the voters”.
The spurious liquor, bottles, other equipment was recovered from house of accused Harmanpreet Singh of Taipur village of Patran, Patiala, during police raid yesterday night.
The police claimed to have arrested all four members of this gang involved in this illegal trade and recovered in huge quantities the spurious liquor and other equipment being used for its manufacturing and labelling.
Arpit Shukla, Special Director General of Police, Punjab, on Thursday said that during the initial investigations done under supervision of Harcharan Singh Bhullar DIG Patiala Range, and DC and SSP Sangrur, it has been found that the accused Manpreet and Sukhwinder, both residents of village Gujjran arrested on Wednesday, had purchased liquor from Gurlal Singh of Ubhawal village of Sangrur and sold it further.
Due to the consumption of this spurious liquor four residents of Gujjran village died on Wednesday morning whereas four others who were undergoing treatment at Rajindra Hospital Patiala, also died later, thus bringing the total number of casualties to 8. The police claimed that the cause of death of Nirmal Singh was, however yet to be ascertained.
The police have recovered 200 liters of Ethanol, 13 boxes of Alcohol comprising total 156 bottles, 80 opened bottles containing spurious liquor without labelling, 130 bottles containing spurious liquor with labelling, 4500 empty bottles, 4600 bottle caps, 10 liters cane containing molasses, 25 liters cane containing colour, one each bottling machine, laptop, printer, packet of plan paper, eight Alcohol meters, four viols of black colour for colouring caps of bottles, some print outs of stickers matching with spurious alcohol bottles, one Honda Amaze car with Patiala registration number, a tub and bucket, and 315 cardboards for making boxes.
Among the eight deceased identified as Bhola Singh, 55, Jagjit Singh, 27, two brothers Pargat Singh, 40 and Nirmal Singh, 40, died on Wednesday whereas Laddi Singh, 27, of Gujjran village, Gursewak Singh of Uppali village, Kirpal Singh and Kuldeep Singh, 26 of Dhandoli Khurd village succumbed later to the toxic effects of spurious liquor consumption after being referred to government Rajindra hospital. Medical Superintendent Dr HS Rekhi said that two of these were brought dead while remaining two succumbed during treatment.
The 12 victims are still undergoing treatment including seven at government Rajindra hospital. The police have identified these patients as Veerapl Singh, 23, Ram Chand, 65, Beant Singh, 50, Harpal Singh, 34, Sami Singh, 40, Gurjant Singh, 55, Jarnail Singh, Gurjeet Singh, Randhir Singh, Satnam Singh, Babli and Lakhwinder Singh, all of Gujjran village of Dirba.
The police on Wednesday registered a case under sections 302 (murder) and 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 61/1/14 of Excise Act at Dirba police station on the statement of Babli Rani who is wife of deceased Jagjit Singh Gujjran. The case was registered against accused Manpreet Singh and Sukhwinder Singh of Gujjran village who were arrested on the same day. Another accused Gurlal Singh of Ubhawal village was figured as the mastermind behind this entire tragedy and arrested shortly thereafter. The accused Gurlal disclosed the name of Harmanpreet Singh of Taipur village of Patran, Patiala, as his accomplice and he was nabbed too.
The police said that accused Sukhwinder Singh was already booked in four cases and Manpreet was booked in two cases in the past under IPC sections and sections of Excise Act whereas accused Gurlal was already booked in five cases under various sections of IPC and accused Harmanpreet was already booked under IPC sections including kidnapping.
In order to trace the source of spurious liquor, the fact-finding Committee comprising of SDM Dirba, DSP Dirba, SMO Dirba, Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) and SHO Dirba was constituted by Sangrur Deputy Commissioner on Wednesday and was asked to submit its report within three days.
The police added, “Further, to check the early symptoms in case of any adversity due to consumption of this spurious liquor, multiple teams comprising of Health officials, Anganwadi workers, Police, Revenue and Rural development officials have been formed in every sub-division who are conducting door to door surveys. The gang had just started selling spurious liquor in the area in view of the forthcoming Parliamentary elections to Lok Sabha-2024. The gang could have affected the peaceful conduct of elections by luring the voters”.