Photo: Collected
At least 19 people have died in the past two days after drinking suspected spurious liquor in Nagaland, a hilly state in north-eastern India. Police said eight of them died in Mokokchung district and 11 in Tuensang district. A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the incident and to identify the source and supply ring of the illegal liquor.
Police said on Saturday that the team has been formed under the leadership of Additional Superintendent of Police I Banglang Chang. Besides looking into the cause of the deaths, it will work to identify the source of the suspected spurious liquor and those involved in its production, transport and supply.
Mokokchung district police said several people fell ill after drinking suspected spurious liquor in Mangkolemba and adjacent areas, and some of them later died. The death toll in the district stood at eight as of Friday. Police have conducted drives over the incident, arresting 19 people and seizing a large quantity of liquor and beer.
Earlier, several people died in Tuensang district on 10 and 11 September. According to police, many of the deceased had consumed liquor before falling ill. They developed symptoms such as blurred vision, severe headache, dizziness, nausea and breathing difficulty. However, spurious liquor is not being called the confirmed cause of death until the forensic test results arrive.
Samples have been sent to the forensic laboratory in Guwahati to find out the actual cause of the deaths. Police say some leads have been found in the investigation; however, details are not being disclosed right now for the sake of the investigation.
In Nagaland, the manufacture, sale, storage and consumption of liquor are prohibited under the ‘Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1989’. The law has been in force since April 1990.
Police have advised the public not to drink liquor from unknown, unauthorised or suspicious sources. They have also urged people to seek medical treatment quickly if symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, breathing difficulty, severe headache or loss of consciousness appear after drinking liquor.
