A man arrested in connection with suspected deaths linked to spurious liquor in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas district allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to learn how to prepare liquor at home by mixing chemicals and water, police said on Wednesday.
Authorities are investigating claims that 13 people died after consuming suspected toxic liquor in Chandana, Binjana and surrounding areas.
According to police, prime accused Ajay Rathore used AI to look up methods of preparing liquor from September onwards. He then procured chemicals through a private firm in Indore and prepared spurious liquor at home with the help of other accused.
Investigators said the accused obtained empty bottles of licensed liquor from scrap dealers between October 2 and 7. They filled the bottles with the adulterated liquor and mixed the fake liquor with genuine alcohol before selling it, primarily in rural areas.
The accused passed off the spurious liquor as genuine by mixing the bottles into cartons of licensed liquor. Police said the adulterated liquor was sold to local residents between October 6 and 12.
Dewas polivce official Shashikant Chaurasia said police arrested 10 people on Monday for selling illicit liquor and recovered six cartons of country liquor from their possession. Interrogation subsequently revealed details about the production and distribution network.
Those arrested include two managers and two salesmen associated with three licensed liquor shops in Dewas and Indore districts. They supplied liquor illegally to Rathore and other accused. Police said the investigation had also revealed the involvement of two other employees of a licensed liquor shop, and searches were underway to trace them.
The City Kotwali police have secured three days of police remand for eight accused, while a court sent two others to jail. Police have also added relevant provisions of the Excise Act to the FIR registered in connection with the manufacture and sale of spurious liquor.
The authorities have sealed the warehouse on the fourth floor of a private firm’s premises in Indore’s medicine market, from where the chemicals used in the production of the spurious liquor were procured. Police have not specified the chemicals involved.
PROBE INTO SUSPECTED DEATHS
The investigation follows reports of suspected deaths in Chandana, Binjana and surrounding areas. Villagers have claimed that at least 10 people died after consuming poisonous liquor between September 27 and October 16. State Congress president Jitu Patwari has claimed that 22 people died and at least 40 lost their vision in the affected areas over the past month after consuming toxic liquor.
The district administration initially dismissed claims that the deaths resulted from toxic liquor. However, after the controversy escalated, the state government formed a five-member high-level investigation team to investigate the matter.
Separately, the Ujjain Divisional Commissioner constituted a committee to investigate the suspected deaths. The committee visited Chandana and Binjana, where its members recorded statements from the families of the deceased and other affected people. The authorities have directed the committee to submit its report within 15 days.
Police have sent the viscera samples of two deceased people, recovered liquor bottles and other evidence to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination.
Officials said the exact cause of the deaths would become clear only after the forensic findings and investigation report are available.
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