Madhya Pradesh: Houses of 3 accused in Banda liquor tragedy demolished

Madhya Pradesh demolished houses of three accused in the Banda liquor tragedy as police continued their crackdown on the spurious liquor network.

The Madhya Pradesh administration on Thursday demolished illegal portions of the houses of three accused in connection with the Banda illicit liquor tragedy, as police continued a crackdown on the spurious liquor network that has claimed at least 15 lives, officials said.

Houses of three accused were demolished in Madhya Pradesh’s Banda liquor tragedy as police arrested 16 people in the spurious liquor case. (Representative photo)

A municipal team, accompanied by police, moved into their localities with JCB machines and demolished illegal constructions belonging to prime accused sarpanch Chandrabhan Singh Rajput alias Chandu, divisional president of Karni Sena, and Ashish Sahu. Portions of three houses owned by Manish Lodhi were also razed.

Chief minister Mohan Yadav said, “Action is being taken under provisions that carry life imprisonment or even the death penalty. The administration has been given a free hand.”

At least 15 people died and more than 25 were hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Baraj village of Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, prompting the district administration to order a magisterial inquiry.

“The first death was reported on Saturday evening and nine people died on Sunday morning. The patients are reaching from three-four villages of the district. As many as 25 people reached civil hospital and referred to medical college in Sagar,” Chief medical and health officer Devesh Pateriya said on Sunday.

So far, police have arrested 16 of the 33 accused. “Interrogations have revealed details of the manufacturing and packaging of illicit liquor and its supply network across rural areas. The contractor Manish Lodhi of Barethi liquor shop was in contact with interstate smuggler Ravi Lakhera,” additional superintendent of police Jaiveer Singh Bhadoriya said.

“The racket operated from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh border producing spurious liquor, sealing bottles with counterfeit caps and labels, and distributing them in villages bordering Sagar. Samples have been sent for forensic testing as raids continue to dismantle the network,” he added.