Punjab's Majitha hooch tragedy: 17 dead, several hospitalised; CM Mann announces Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], May 13 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 lakhs for each of the kin of the deceased of the Majitha hooch tragedy.
Around 17 people lost their lives while several were hospitalised after consuming spurious liquor in the Majitha area of Punjab's Amritsar.
Addressing a press conference, CM Mann said, "A very sad incident has taken place. Due to the consumption of spurious liquor, around 17 people died. 5-6 deaths occurred in the village where we are standing... It is like murder, not deaths. We have arrested 10 accused so far. Those who supplied this, those who brought this to them (people), once we get to know of this chain - who supported whom, the links go to Delhi too; our team has gone to Delhi too...They will not be spared."
"These (deceased) belonged to very poor households, they were almost the sole breadwinners and had young children...Money can't bring life back, but these families lived hand to mouth and lost their breadwinners. We will provide Rs 10 Lakhs each in compensation to the bereaved families. Many of the children are very young; if anyone in their blood relation is eligible to work, it will help manage their expenses..." he added.

The Punjab Police have arrested 10 individuals, including the kingpin of the illicit liquor racket.
The arrested racket kingpin has been identified as Sahib Singh, while the main suppliers of methanol have been identified as Pankaj Kumar alias Sahil and Arvind Kumar, owners of Sahil Chemicals at Sukh Enclave in Ludhiana. Police have also arrested local distributors Prabhjit Singh and Kulbir Singh and local sellers Ninder Kaur, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, Arun alias Kala and Sikander Singh alias Pappu.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said the preliminary investigation has revealed that the Methanol chemical, procured online by Kingpin Sahib Singh, was being used to manufacture spurious liquor. He said an investigation is underway to uncover the entire modus operandi and bring all involved to justice.
The investigation is ongoing to uncover the entire modus operandi and bring all those involved to justice.
The DGP informed that DSP Subdivision Majitha Amolak Singh and SHO Police Station Majitha SI Avtar Singh have been suspended for gross negligence in discharging their official duties, which resulted in the fatal incident. He added that departmental inquiries have been initiated against the delinquents.
On the Amritsar hooch tragedy, Special DGP Arpit Shukla said, "Police have registered an FIR under the relevant sections for murder and the Excise Act. Ten accused have been arrested. One of our teams has also left the state. We hope that the team will catch more people and that more recovery will be done. DSP and SHO have been suspended."
Two separate cases at Police Station Majitha and at Police Station Kathunangal in Amritsar Rural have been registered under sections 105 and 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), section 61a of the Excise Act and section 3 of the SC/ST Act.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal expressed grief over the Majitha illicit liquor case and shared a post on his official 'X' handle.
Fourteen people have died and six others have been hospitalised after consuming illicit liquor in five villages under the Majitha block in Amritsar.
Arvind Kejriwal offered condolence to the victims' families and ensured that those involved in the case will not be spared.
"Many people have died after consuming poisonous liquor in Majitha. Whoever is involved in this, no matter how influential or big they are, they will not be spared. They will get the harshest punishment. May God give strength to the families of those who have died tragically. May their souls rest in peace", Arvind Kejriwal's 'X' post said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the death of 14 people due to consumption of illicit liquor in Amritsar's Majitha block.
Taking to social media X, Bittu in a post wrote that the state government's 'Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh' campaign was just a 'political theatre', further alleging that the CM himself had a history with alcohol.
"14 dead in Majitha -- families shattered by spurious liquor, while the @BhagwantManngovernment remains in deep slumber. Their so-called "Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh" is nothing but political theatre. When the Chief Minister himself has a history with alcohol, how can the fight against addiction ever be sincere?" the post read.
The Union Minister further stated that the Punjab government was busy in self-indulgence even when people were dying. Bittu further wrote that Punjab needed action, and the matter was no longer about politics, but about lives of people.
"The liquor mafia rules, people are dying, and the Mann government is busy in self-indulgence. Punjab doesn't need slogans anymore -- it needs action. This is no longer about politics, it's about lives," the post further read.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia has express condolences to all the deceased of the hooch tragedy.
Majithia criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government for this matter. He termed the Chief Minister's campaign against the drug abuse as a "PR stunt."
"I express my condolences to all the affected families...This is the fourth incident in the reign of AAP government. Earlier, a similar incident happened in Sangrur...In Hoshiarpur, 6-7 people died in a similar incident. Before that, a similar incident occurred in Moga...The CM has been campaigning against drug abuse, but now the truth has been revealed. He was claiming that drug abuse would be eliminated from Punjab by May 31. It means that all of this was just a PR stunt..." Majithia told ANI.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also paid condolences to the families of those who have died after consuming spurious liquor while demanding time-bound action against the guilty. Warring said that the guilty must be identified and punished after being tried in a fast-track court.
"Devastating news from Majitha in Amritsar district. @ANI reports 14 people have died after consuming spurious liquor. My condolences to the bereaved families. Guilty must be identified and given exemplary punishment after being tried in a fast-track court. We need time-bound action. Such people deserve to be hanged from lamp posts for playing with the lives of people," the Punjab Congress chief posted on X.
He also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state, questioning the workings of the state government over the death of 14 people due to the consumption of illicit liquor in Amritsar's Majitha.
While addressing a public meeting in Birmi village of Ludhiana, Warring said that the functioning of the state government regarding the entire matter was under question. He also questioned the claims of the state government regarding drugs.
17 people died while others were hospitalised due to the consumption of illicit liquor under the Majitha block in Amritsar, as per the Punjab Police. The main distributor or the kingpin has been arrested in the incident that took place on the night of May 12 night, police said. (ANI)