Nine die after consuming suspected spurious liquor in Nagaland

Kohima: At least nine people, including three members of a family, died at the Civil Hospital in Nagaland's Tuensang district over the past three days after allegedly consuming suspected spurious liquor, prompting the state police to issue a red alert and urge people to refrain from consuming liquor obtained from unknown or unauthorised sources, officials said on Sunday.

Police officials said that the victims reportedly complained of breathlessness after consuming the suspected adulterated liquor and subsequently died.

Though the circumstances leading to the deaths are yet to be officially ascertained, Nagaland Director General of Police (DGP) Rupin Sharma said that the victims reportedly succumbed to what is suspected to be spurious liquor.

An official release said that a total of nine deaths were reported in Tuensang Town and Chendang Saddle on September 10 and 11.

"Based on the information presently available, all the deaths have a direct or indirect circumstantial linkage with alcohol consumption and are being investigated accordingly," it said.

According to the statement, one person, reportedly a family member of the liquor seller, died by hanging, and the circumstances surrounding the death are being investigated separately as a suspected case of suicide.

Tuensang police received reports on Saturday regarding a pattern of deaths involving people who had been admitted to Tuensang Civil Hospital.

Preliminary enquiries revealed that in most of the cases, the deceased had reportedly consumed liquor before developing symptoms such as blurred vision, severe headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

The police said that although consumption of spurious or adulterated liquor is suspected to be a possible cause of the deaths, this cannot be scientifically and conclusively established at this stage.

Scientific and forensic procedures will be undertaken as part of the investigation.

The statement also said that post-mortem examinations were not conducted in most of the cases as the mortal remains had already been taken for funerals before the police became aware of the pattern of deaths.

"Accordingly, the present assessment is based on the available medical records, preliminary enquiries and other information collected during the investigation," the statement said.

The Tuensang police are conducting a thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the deaths, identify the source and nature of the liquor consumed, and determine whether any person or persons may be responsible for the incident.

Meanwhile, it was also learnt that among those who lost their lives were three members of a family from whose premises the liquor was reportedly purchased by some of the deceased persons.

Further scientific and medical examinations are being undertaken in coordination with all the authorities concerned to establish the exact cause of the deaths and determine the nature of the liquor consumed.

Police conducted search and raid operations throughout Tuensang Town and in the Chendang Saddle area to identify and seize suspected unauthorised, spurious or adulterated liquor. During these operations, approximately 470 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer cans were seized from different locations, officials said.

Widespread information dissemination and public awareness efforts have also been undertaken to alert people about the potential risks associated with consuming liquor obtained from unknown, unauthorised or suspected adulterated sources, a police official said.

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