- At least 14 men died after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad areas
- Eight persons, including a key bootlegger, have been arrested in connection with the liquor deaths
- The investigation was transferred to the Crime Investigation Department for a thorough probe
At least 14 men died after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Pimpri Chinchwad area and Pune city, with the police arresting eight persons, including a key bootlegger, in this connection, officials said on Friday.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the incident as "very serious", and said further action was being taken as the "entire ecosystem" involved in the supply of spurious liquor has been identified.
The probe into the entire tragedy was transferred to the Crime Investigation Department (CID), a senior official said.
Ten persons died in the Phugewadi area of Pimpri Chinchwad, while four others from the Pandhare Mala area in Pune's Hadapsar succumbed after consuming suspected spurious liquor. Five men suspected of consuming toxic liquor are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Pimpri Chinchwad, police said.
A pall of gloom descended on the Phugewadi and Hadapsar areas following the deaths.
Dr Basavraj Teli, Joint Commissioner of Police of Pimpri Chinchwad police, said that during the probe, police arrested Karnelsingh Takhtsingh Virka (73), Gurmangatsingh Karnelsingh Virka (45), Yogesh Ramchandra Wankhede (23), Radhesham Hariram Prajapati (35), Indarjit Kaur Karnelsingh Virka (60) and Kalpesh Agrawal (29) in connection with the case.
While Karnelsingh, Gurmangatsingh, Wankhede and Prajapati were remanded in police custody till June 8, Indarjit and Agrawal will be produced before the court on Saturday.
They are charged under various sections, including the provision pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Teli said. The investigation into the tragedy was transferred to the CID, he added.
Police said the accused allegedly supplied methanol-laced liquor to the Phugewadi area in Pimpri Chinchwad and parts of Pune city.
Test reports, which will confirm the exact cause of the deaths, are awaited, police said.
The deceased have been identified as Pandurang Sakharam Phuge (53), Akbar Azimkhan Pathan (48), Rajesh Shantaram Rajput (50), Anand Panderao Desai (53), Anand Kashinath Nikalje (64), Bhimanna Basanna Nagaral (27), Akshay Ashok Avasarmal (28), Sachin Ramchandra Netke (36), Surappa Manappa Bangari (55) and Raju Rathod (34), all residents of Phugewadi in Dapodi.
Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said four persons have so far died due to suspected consumption of spurious liquor in Hadapsar.
"The post-mortem examinations of the deceased have been conducted. The viscera samples have been preserved and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FLS). Once the FSL report is received, the exact contents in the body and the precise cause of death will be ascertained," he said.
"We have registered a case against one Akash Jadhav and some unidentified persons under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 123 (causing hurt using poison, stupefying drugs or other harmful substances), 125 (rash or negligent act endangering human life or personal safety), 275 (sale of noxious food or drink) and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, 1949," he said.
CCTV footage from the location, where the alleged liquor consumption took place is being examined, he added.
"We will not spare anyone involved in this racket," Kumar said.
Senior inspector Sanjay Mogale of the Hadapsar police station said it was found during the probe that the deceased had allegedly purchased spurious liquor from Akash Jadhav in the Pandhare Mala area.
"After consuming it, they complained of vomiting and dizziness," he said.
The deceased in the Hadapsar case have been identified as Arun Dadar (60), Rahul Kshirsagar (45), Ashok Chavan (52) and Datta Suryawanshi (55).
State excise department official Atul Kanade said the department has launched a probe following the deaths.
"We detained Yogesh Wankhede, who was involved in the supply of spurious liquor to both Phugewadi and Hadapsar. He has been handed over to the Pimpri Chinchwad police, and they are taking further action," he added.
Chief Minister Fadnavis said eight persons have been arrested in connection with the Pune hooch tragedy and more arrests are likely to be made.
"This is a very serious incident. Eight persons have been immediately arrested in this connection, and some more are also likely to be held. We have identified the complete ecosystem behind it," Fadnavis told reporters in Mumbai.
"Our police are making full efforts in the matter and are also trying to find out how far this ecosystem has spread. The police are jointly working with the excise department," the CM added.
Dr Rajendra Wable, Dean of Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri Chinchwad, said most of the deceased were involved in binge drinking and had symptoms, such as breathing difficulty, acidosis, frothing, dizziness and unconsciousness when brought to the hospital.
"Usually, the symptoms begin with respiratory complaints, followed by heaviness in the head and increased heartbeat. Subsequently, the patient's condition becomes critical," he said.
Meanwhile, Rohit Pawar and other workers of the NCP (SP) destroyed an alleged liquor den in the Hadapsar area.
In a social media post, Pawar claimed 18 persons had died after consuming poisonous liquor in Pune's Hadapsar and Phugewadi areas.
Terming the incident "extremely horrifying", the Karjat-Jamkhed MLA alleged that it exposed the unchecked and corrupt functioning of the home department.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
