Spurious liquor case: Death toll rises to 12 in Sagar; 14 persons arrested
The death toll from a spurious liquor tragedy in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district has risen to 12, with 14 suspects arrested. Authorities are conducting a crackdown on bootleggers and investigating potential supply links from neighboring Uttar Pradesh.
Why it matters
This incident highlights ongoing public health and law enforcement challenges regarding the illicit liquor trade in rural India.
The death toll in the Sagar hooch tragedy in Madhya Pradesh rose to 12 on Monday (September 7, 2026) after one more person succumbed, while nearly 30 others remained under medical observation, including two in critical condition, officials said.
Police have arrested 14 of the 30 persons named as accused in FIRs lodged in connection with the incident as authorities launched a major crackdown on bootleggers, they said.
Three separate FIRs have been registered on complaints by the victims' kin, Sagar Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Shashindra Chouhan said.
On Sunday, 11 persons died and 54 others fell ill after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in two villages of Banda tehsil, about 30 km from the Sagar district headquarters.
Many of those who fell ill complained of symptoms like blurred vision and dizziness.
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