Nine people have died in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district after allegedly consuming spurious liquor, with an initial investigation indicating a suspected illegal liquor network operating across the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border.
The victims, who belonged to different villages, reportedly became ill after drinking alcohol on Saturday night. Preliminary information suggests residents of Ghooghar, Naoraj, Baraj and nearby areas had consumed the liquor before their health deteriorated.
Their families took them to hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Although authorities suspect spurious liquor was responsible, the cause of death has not yet been officially established. Police said post-mortem examinations will determine the exact cause. Officials also warned that the death toll could increase.
UP LIQUOR RACKET UNDER SCANNER
The initial probe has reportedly uncovered a suspected liquor supply network operating from Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh, which borders Sagar.
India Today accessed an FIR registered by Lalitpur Police in May 2026 concerning the alleged supply of illegal liquor to Madhya Pradesh.
According to the investigation and statements recorded by Lalitpur Police, the accused allegedly confessed to manufacturing counterfeit liquor in Lalitpur and supplying it to villages located along the Sagar border.
The suspects allegedly made the fake liquor look like genuine brands by using counterfeit labels and bottle caps. They reportedly added fake QR codes to the bottles before transporting the liquor to different locations in cars and motorcycles.
The suspected network is believed to have supplied counterfeit liquor to villages such as Bandri, Barodia, Ghooghara Khurd, Naoraj and Baraj, among other areas of Sagar district.
Investigators are now trying to establish how the liquor was transported from Lalitpur to Sagar, identify those involved in distributing it and determine whether local residents were helping operate the alleged network.
Police have reportedly launched raids to trace and apprehend people suspected of being connected to the racket.
PROBE UNDERWAY INTO DEATHS
Investigators are questioning the families of the victims and local residents while examining the liquor consumed before the deaths. Authorities are also investigating whether all nine deaths were caused by liquor from the same batch or source.
Following the incident, the Sagar administration has intensified inspections of licensed liquor shops and suspected illegal outlets in the area.
The Superintendent of Police, district Collector and other senior officials have visited the affected region and are overseeing the investigation.
CM MOHAN YADAV ORDERS STRICT ACTION
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav told ANI that he had directed the concerned minister and officials to reach the affected area immediately.
Yadav ordered a detailed investigation and promised strict action against those found responsible. He said his government would not allow such incidents to go unchecked.
Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda also expressed grief over the deaths and said those responsible would face action. He said he had received detailed updates from the district Collector and Superintendent of Police, while the Excise Commissioner was also heading to the spot.
SIMILAR HOOCH TRAGEDY IN GUJARAT
The deaths in Sagar come shortly after another suspected spurious liquor tragedy in Gujarat.
Last month, 13 people died in Bhavnagar district after allegedly consuming illicit liquor, while more than a dozen others required hospitalisation.
Authorities detained four suspected illegal liquor sellers in connection with the incident. Officials said the victims had consumed liquor sold under the name of a popular Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand.
Police subsequently arrested 13 of the 21 accused and booked them under charges including culpable homicide and poisoning. Investigators found that the liquor contained 38.59 per cent methanol.
Gujarat is a prohibition state, where the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcohol are banned, subject to limited legal exceptions.
In Sagar, investigators are now examining whether a comparable illegal supply chain led to the deaths and determining how extensively the suspected counterfeit liquor may have been distributed across the district.
