Indore, Oct 28 Police have busted a racket in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas district that allegedly used Artificial Intelligence to learn how to prepare home-brewed spurious liquor using chemicals, leading to a tragedy that has claimed an unspecified number of lives, with villagers claiming the death toll to be around 10.
Ten persons have been arrested so far in connection with the illicit operation, which involved mixing chemical-laden home-brewed alcohol with genuine liquor, bottling it in empty branded containers sourced from scrap dealers, and distributing it primarily across rural pockets, officials said on Wednesday.
The police action comes amid claims by local villagers and the opposition Congress that people have died and dozens have lost their eyesight after consuming toxic alcohol in the region from late September till mid-October, allegations the district administration initially denied before the state government intervened.
Dewas Kotwali Police Station in-charge Shashikant Chaurasia said the illicit unit was uncovered during the interrogation of suspects arrested on Monday following the seizure of six cartons of country liquor.
“One of the key accused, Ajay Rathore, had allegedly been using Artificial Intelligence platforms since September to research home-brewing techniques and chemical formulations. He subsequently ordered chemicals from a private firm in Indore,” Chaurasia said.
According to the police, Rathore procured empty bottles of licensed liquor brands from scrap dealers between October 2 and 7 and, assisted by accomplices, he prepared fake liquor at home by mixing chemicals and water.
“Initial investigation reveals that the accused mixed this chemical-based fake alcohol with genuine liquor. This adulterated brew was supplied to local residents between October 6 and 12,” the officer said, adding that the Indore warehouse supplying the chemicals has been sealed.
The arrested people include two managers and two salesmen from three licensed liquor outlets in Dewas and Indore districts, who allegedly funnelled genuine alcohol illegally to Rathore’s network.
Police have invoked relevant sections of the MP Excise Act in the FIR.
Viscera samples from two deceased persons, along with seized liquor consignments, have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to establish the exact cause of death. Manhunts have been launched for two more licensed shop employees involved in the racket.
The tragedy has sparked severe political friction, with local residents and opposition leaders accusing authorities of attempting a cover-up.
Villagers in Chandana and Binjana areas claimed at least 10 people died between September 27 and October 16 after experiencing symptoms such as severe vomiting, dizziness, and foaming at the mouth. Former village sarpanch Sunil Patel had alleged that three residents lost their eyesight and several remain hospitalised.
Visiting affected families in Chandana, Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari mounted a fierce attack on the ruling BJP government, alleging that at least 22 people have died and nearly 40 have lost their vision in Chandana and surrounding areas over the past month due to poisonous liquor, while the district administration actively concealed these deaths to shield the liquor mafia.
While district authorities initially dismissed claims of alcohol-related deaths, escalating public outrage prompted the state government to constitute a five-member high-level inquiry panel on October 25 under the Ujjain divisional commissioner.
The committee has been tasked with submitting its probe report within 15 days.
Amid mounting pressure over spurious liquor deaths reported in both Sagar and Dewas districts, the Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday night ordered a major administrative reshuffle, transferring nine senior IAS and IPS officers, including the Collectors and Superintendents of Police (SP) of both affected districts.
Further police investigations into the supply chain and chemical procurement sources are underway.
(PTI News)
