Pune: Eight individuals, including a key bootlegger, have been arrested after at least 13 people died following the consumption of suspected toxic liquor in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, officials said on Friday.
Four people died in the Pandhare Mala area of Pune’s Hadapsar, while nine others died in the Phugewadi area of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Three men suspected of consuming toxic liquor are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Pimpri-Chinchwad, officials added.
Sandip Atole, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1), Pimpri-Chinchwad, said, “Following multiple deaths in Phugewadi, we launched a probe. We found that nine persons have died so far due to suspected consumption of toxic liquor, and three others are undergoing treatment.” Test reports, which will confirm the exact cause of the deaths, are awaited, he said. “Eight persons were arrested in a joint operation involving the State Excise Department and the local police,” he added.
Senior Inspector Sanjay Mogale of Hadapsar Police Station said that four persons died in the area due to suspected consumption of spurious liquor. “Their autopsy reports are awaited, and our probe is underway,” he added.
State Excise Commissioner Atul Kanade said the department has launched a probe following the deaths. “We detained one 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.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar informed reporters that, prima facie, the deceased were admitted to hospitals with a history of alcoholic intoxication, and investigations are underway.
“Prima facie, the deceased were admitted to hospitals with a history of alcoholic intoxication. Post-mortems have been conducted, and the viscera samples have been sent for forensic analysis. We expect the reports by tonight. Based on the preliminary findings, we will register a case under sections related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, poisoning and illicit liquor activities,” Kumar said.
Speaking to the media in Mumbai, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis termed the incident “very serious.”
“This is a very serious incident. Eight persons have been immediately arrested in this connection, and some more are also likely to be arrested. We have identified the complete ecosystem behind it,” he said.
“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.
NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar and his party workers reacted sharply to the incident by vandalising a liquor den in the Hadapsar area. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he alleged that the incident exposed the unchecked and corrupt functioning of the Home Department.
“The tragic incident in Pune is a deeply horrific event that starkly exposes the unbridled and corrupt functioning of the Home Department. Upon visiting Sassoon Hospital in Pune to inquire whether any official report existed regarding the causes of these deaths, officials offered a flimsy excuse, citing ‘confidentiality’ as the reason why the report could not be disclosed,” Pawar wrote.
“This is an extremely grave matter, and several individuals are still battling for their lives. Despite repeated calls to curb the rampant illegal rackets flourishing across the state, the government has failed to rein them in; consequently, the state government bears complete responsibility for this tragedy. By virtue of its brute majority, this government remains in power merely in a technical sense; morally, however, it has long since forfeited the trust of the people. Therefore, if this government retains even the slightest sense of its moral obligation, it must tender a public apology to the people of Maharashtra,” he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray criticised the law-and-order situation in the state, alleging that authorities take action only “for show.”
“They arrest people and take action just for show. Another video also came from Pune, where the boy who killed two people by driving a Porsche was seen celebrating after being released from jail. If this is the situation of law and order, then what can we expect?” said Thackeray.
