Rs 20 cheaper, new name, trusted seller — the brew that killed 22 in Sagar | Bhopal News
BANDA: It was not just the promise of cheap liquor that drew villagers in Banda to a spurious brew — it was a new brand, a Rs20 price advantage, and assurances from people they trusted that overcame doubts about its quality. The result: multiple deaths across villages in Sagar district.The FIR registered at Banda police station on September 7 names 20 people and lays out the sequence leading to the deaths. It was filed on the complaint of Anup Singh Lodhi, 52, of Nauraj village, who told police that he and his nephew Rajendra visited the alleged illicit liquor outlet of Jujhar Lodhi on the evening of September 4.According to the complaint, they were told about a new brand being sold Rs20 cheaper than liquor available at the authorised shop. Jujhar allegedly assured Anup that the brew was genuine, claiming it had been prepared by two men named Manish and Ashish. Trusting his word, Rajendra bought a quarter bottle for Rs70 and consumed it before returning home. His condition deteriorated later that night. He was taken to Banda hospital and then referred to Bundelkhand Medical College in Sagar, where he died.
More Than 160 Hospitalised; Magisterial Probe Ordered
The complaint further alleges that Kartaar Singh Lodhi and Digvijay Lodhi were also made to consume the liquor by Jujhar and four others — Dinesh, Saurabh, Govind and Manohar Lodhi. Kartaar died during treatment at BMC Sagar, while Digvijay died at Banda hospital.The complaint states the liquor was prepared cheaply, without following prescribed standards, and sold for profit while being passed off as regular country liquor.The death toll in the broader Sagar hooch tragedy has since risen to 22, with more than 160 people hospitalised across Sagar and Bhopal. Ten people have been arrested, and a magisterial probe has been ordered to establish the cause of death and fix responsibility.
