18 dead after consuming suspected toxic liquor in Pune district

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Mumbai: A grave tragedy has occurred as 18 people died during the last two days in the Pune district. It is speculated that it is due to the alleged consumption of methanol-mixed liquor.

The deadly incident occurred at Phugewadi and Dapodi areas in Pimpri Chinchwad and hadapses and Kalepadal areas in Pune city.

According to the sources, initially, the cause of the deaths was suspected to be due to natural causes, but as the investigation unfolded, it was seen that all the victims reportedly experienced the same type of symptoms, such as extreme dizziness and abdominal pain, before collapsing to death.

The investigating team later stated that, after the post-mortem, it was confirmed to be liquor poisoning among the victims.

Following these reports, the investigation gained a new dimension into a suspected illegal liquor supply network spread over a number of areas in Pune.

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Cases have been registered by the police against those involved in the supply chain under culpable homicide not amounting to murder, under sections of causing hurt by poison, and the Maharashtra Prohibition Act.

Several teams of the police are conducting raids and questioning suspected persons. Samples of the seized liquor have been sent to laboratories for examination of its chemical constituents and the level of methanol.

Officials are not ruling out the possibility that several more such deaths might take place before the suspected racket is busted, as there is no immediate indication regarding its size and spread.

Further investigation into this matter is underway.

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