Sagar: A key accused in the Sagar spurious liquor tragedy, which claimed 20 lives, was arrested along with his associate after a brief exchange of fire with police in the district early Wednesday, officials said.
Police intercepted Manish Lodhi alias Yashwant, who was carrying a reward of Rs 30,000, and his associate Ashish Sahu around 3 a.m. near the Nonia-Sesai Road valley under Malthoun police station limits.
Police said the two accused opened fire when the team tried to apprehend them. The personnel retaliated, injuring Lodhi in the leg, while Sahu sustained injuries while allegedly attempting to flee. Two country-made pistols, five rounds of ammunition and a baseball bat were recovered from the spot, police said.
The injured accused were taken to hospital for treatment and subsequently arrested. “The accused opened fire at the police team during the operation. The police returned fire in self-defence, and both the accused were apprehended,” a police official said.
Lodhi was the licensed contractor of the Barethi liquor shop, and police have alleged that he was involved in the supply of illicit liquor to villages. The administration cancelled the liquor shop contract after the tragedy.
Police said Lodhi had 11 criminal cases registered against him and had allegedly obtained the liquor contract by using the alias Yashwant Singh Thakur. He claimed that Yashwant was his brother. Police said a separate fraud case was registered after his identity came to light.
The arrest comes against the backdrop of the spurious liquor tragedy in Banda and Shahgarh areas of Sagar district earlier this month. Police have alleged that a network involving the manufacture, supply and distribution of illicit liquor was operating in the affected villages. So far, 52 people have been named as accused in the case, of whom 39 have been arrested, while 11 remain absconding, according to police.
Two accused, Ramsingh and Dinesh Shivhare, also died after allegedly consuming the spurious liquor. The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted a judicial commission headed by retired Justice V.P.S. Chauhan to inquire into the tragedy and has submitted details of the action taken before the High Court.
On Tuesday, the state government told the High Court that 20 people died in the incident and compensation was provided to the affected families. It also reported arrests, sealing of liquor shops, collection of samples, and medical screening of people in the affected areas.
Investigation is continuing into the entire chain, from manufacture to supply and distribution of the spurious liquor.
Further action will be taken on the basis of the evidence collected. The arrested accused are being questioned to establish the source of the liquor and identify others involved in the supply network, according to police.
(IANS)
