Pune Hooch Tragedy: 26 Officials Suspended as Death Toll Rises to 18

Investigators widened the Pune hooch probe after suspending four more constables linked to a key accused. The action comes as the death toll has risen to 18 and anger has grown among affected families.

In Short

• Four rural constables were suspended for alleged contact with accused Prajapati
• Nine police personnel and 13 excise officials had faced earlier action
• Investigators said methanol-laced liquor was procured, mixed and distributed across Pune

The investigation into the Pune hooch tragedy has intensified following fresh action against law enforcement, bringing the total number of suspended government personnel to 26.

The Pune Rural Police recently suspended four constables after a preliminary inquiry revealed they were in contact with a key accused, Radheshyam Prajapati, a major supplier in the illicit liquor network operating within the local jurisdiction.

These suspensions follow the earlier discipline of nine personnel from the Pune City and Pimpri-Chinchwad police forces, alongside 13 State Excise Department officials, for lapses in preventing the illegal trade. Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill confirmed the latest administrative actions.

Meanwhile, the tragedy has claimed 18 lives across the Phugewadi-Dapodi and Hadapsar areas, with several victims being the primary breadwinners of their families, including two brothers from a single household.

Separate criminal cases have been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, while the State Excise Department has filed three additional cases.

Among the key suspects arrested are Karnelsingh Virka, his son Gurmangatsingh Virka, Yogesh Ramchandra Vhankade, Radheshyam Prajapati, and Kalpesh Agrawal. Investigators allege that Vhankade procured the illicit liquor from Prajapati, laced it with methanol, and distributed it across Pune, including shipments sent to Virka in Phugewadi.

Meanwhile, public anger erupted in the Phugewadi area when a CID team brought the accused to the spot for a preliminary crime-scene reconstruction and verification process. Upon seeing the suspects, grieving family members and residents confronted them, demanding maximum punishment.

The situation quickly escalated as an elderly woman advanced toward a suspect with a slipper and another resident attempted to throw a stone.

CID officials intervened immediately, forming a security cordon to safely escort the accused away from the agitated crowd. While several suspects remain in CID custody and three others are held by the State Excise Department, authorities continue to monitor hospitalised victims and verify reports of additional deaths linked to the contaminated liquor.

- Ends