View source for 2020 Punjab alcohol poisoning

{{short description|Alcohol poisoning incident}}
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| date                     = {{start date|2020|07|29|df=y}} <!-- {{start and end dates|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location                 = [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India
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| reported deaths          = 121<ref name="TimesofIndia">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/none-will-be-spared-punjab-chief-minister-to-hooch-victims-families/articleshow/77413709.cms|title=None will be spared: Punjab chief minister to hooch victims' families|work=Times of India|date=7 August 2020}}</ref>
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| arrests                  = 54<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/punjab-hooch-tragedy-police-arrest-two-key-absconders/article32299862.ece|title=Punjab hooch tragedy: police arrest two key absconders|work=The Hindu|date=7 August 2020}}</ref>
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In late July and early August 2020, at least 100 people died after drinking illegally-made [[toxic alcohol]] in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India.<ref name="HT">{{cite news |title=Death toll in Punjab hooch tragedy rises to 86; 7 excise officials, six cops suspended |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/death-toll-in-punjab-spurious-liquor-tragedy-rises-to-62/story-cRRu9MqeHlOjkcYR7FTxPL.html |accessdate=2 August 2020 |work=hindustantimes.com}}</ref> Hundreds of [[police raid|raids]] were conducted in the three affected districts - [[Amritsar district|Amritsar]], [[Gurdaspur district|Gurdaspur]] and [[Tarn Taran district|Tarn Taran]] - along with several other places in and around the Rajpura and Shambhu border in Punjab. Forty people were arrested in relation to the incident.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chauhan |first1=Satender |title=Punjab hooch tragedy: 86 dead, 25 arrested so far, Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for victims |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/punjab-hooch-tragedy-illicit-liquor-death-toll-arrests-accused-lakh-ex-gratia-amarinder-singh-top-developments-1706849-2020-08-01 |accessdate=2 August 2020 |work=indiatoday.in}}</ref>
Seven excise officials, six policemen were also suspended over the incident.<ref name="NDTV">{{cite news |last1=Ghazali |first1=Mohammed |title=86 Dead From Punjab Toxic Liquor, 7 Excise Officials, 6 Cops Suspended |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/number-of-deaths-in-punjab-spurious-liquor-tragedy-rises-to-62-2272662 |accessdate=2 August 2020 |work=ndtv.com}}</ref>

==Poisioning==
In late July and early August 2020, 80 deaths<ref name="AJ"/> were reported in [[Tarn Taran district]] alone, followed by 12 from [[Amritsar]] and 11 from Gurdaspur's [[Batala]] in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], India due to [[toxic alcohol]] [[Methanol toxicity|poisoning]].<ref name="HT"/> The first deaths were reported in [[Amritsar district]]'s Muchhal village on the night of 29 July 2020.<ref name="NDTV"/> By 31 July 2020, the Punjab state had reported 39 deaths.<ref name="HT"/> By 3 August, the death toll from poisoning linked to toxic liquor rose to 105.<ref name="AJ">{{cite news |title=India bootleg alcohol death toll crosses 100, dozens arrested |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/india-bootleg-alcohol-death-toll-crosses-100-dozens-arrested-200803103824004.html |work=Al Jazeera |date=3 Aug 2020}}</ref> 

The number of dead reached 121 on 7 August, which included 92 from [[Tarn Taran district]], 15 from in [[Amritsar district]] and 14 from [[Gurdaspur district]].<ref name="TimesofIndia"/>

==Response==
On 30 July 2020, Punjab's Chief Minister [[Amarinder Singh]] gave an inquiry order into the deaths stating that "anyone found guilty will not be spared".<ref name="AJ"/><ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=India toxic alcohol: Dozens die in Punjab poisoning |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-asia-india-53624507 |work=BBC |date=1 August 2020}}</ref> The [[government of Punjab, India|Punjab government]] also announced a Rs 2 lakh ({{INRConvert|200|k}}) compensation for each of the families of the deceased.<ref name="HT"/> The Punjab government suspended seven excise officials and six police officials.<ref name="NDTV"/> 

By 1 August, police undertook more than a hundred raids, confiscated supplies of the suspected liquor and made twenty-five arrests.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="NDTV"/> By 3 August, the number of arrests made in the case went up to forty - twenty-one from Tarn Taran, ten from Amritsar rural and nine from Batala in 563 raids conducted in the three districts.<ref name="NDTV2">{{cite news |title=Man Who Sold Methanol That Led To 111 Alcohol Deaths In Punjab Arrested |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/man-who-sold-methanol-that-led-to-111-alcohol-deaths-in-punjab-arrested-2274196 |work=NDTV |date=August 4, 2020}}</ref> 54 were arrested by 7 August.<ref name="The Hindu"/>

==Investigation==
The initial investigation revealed that the liquor contained [[methanol]].<ref name="AJ"/> A [[Ludhiana]]-based paint store owner, allegedly responsible for the toxic liquor deaths revealed that he supplied the three drums of methanol, which were used to make the illegal methanol-based alcohol.<ref name="NDTV2"/>

==References==
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{{#seo:
|keywords=2020 disasters in India, 2020s in Punjab, India, Alcohol-related deaths in India, August 2020 events in India, July 2020 crimes in Asia, July 2020 events in India
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[[Category:2020 disasters in India]]
[[Category:2020s in Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Alcohol-related deaths in India]]
[[Category:August 2020 events in India]]
[[Category:Disasters in Punjab, India|Alcohol poisonings]]
[[Category:July 2020 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:July 2020 events in India]]
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