Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress President, Jitu Patwari, on Tuesday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking the Centre’s intervention after a series of spurious liquor deaths in the state.
In his letter to the Union Home Minister, Patwari demanded an independent probe into the repeated incidents of hooch deaths in Madhya Pradesh, coordinated action against interstate liquor networks and accountability for administrative lapses.
Questioning the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led government’s handling of repeated liquor tragedies in Madhya Pradesh, Patwari said the Centre should intervene to ensure effective action against those involved in the illegal liquor trade and officials found responsible for lapses.
He cited several incidents, including the deaths of 14 people in Ujjain in October 2020 and 24 in Morena in January 2021.
He also referred to a liquor-related incident in Mandsaur in 2021 in which over seven people died and the 20 hooch deaths reported in Sagar district in September 2026.
The Congress leader also referred to recent deaths reported in Chandana and Bisakhana villages in Dewas district, alleging that the BJP government had failed to prevent recurring tragedies.
However, the circumstances and causes of the reported deaths in the latest incident remain subject to investigation.
“The state’s administrative system has completely collapsed,” Patwari said in the letter, urging the Centre to intervene and ensure accountability.
He alleged that the illegal liquor trade could involve an organised network extending beyond individual outlets to the supply of raw materials, packaging, transportation and distribution.
Patwari sought coordinated action by agencies in Madhya Pradesh and other states to dismantle such networks.
Patwari also demanded an independent investigation into liquor-related deaths, a review of Madhya Pradesh’s excise administration and a probe into alleged monitoring failures in the Sagar case.
He called for action against officials found responsible, financial assistance for the families of the deceased, proper treatment for affected persons and punishment for those found guilty.
“People of Madhya Pradesh no longer want assurances; they want results. The deaths due to spurious liquor must stop, and accountability must be fixed not only for the criminals but also for officials found responsible,” Patwari wrote in his letter.
The Congress has repeatedly targeted the Madhya Pradesh government over liquor-related deaths, alleging failures in enforcement and demanding accountability.
(IANS)
