Pimpri Chinchwad police intensify action against illegal country-made liquor manufacturers, sellers

Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad police have raided over 50 locations and destroyed illegal liquor dens and shops, following the deaths caused by spurious liquor in Phugewadi and Khadki since Thursday last week.

Between Friday and Saturday, the police registered 16 cases and seized liquor and raw materials collectively worth about Rs11 lakh.

Most of the illegal liquor dens raided were located on the outskirts of Pimpri Chinchwad, in the Maval and Khed talukas. According to the police, women mainly operated these dens.

“During the raids, some women fled the spot. We are searching for them. We have also detained a few women and issued notices to them,” an officer from the Pimpri Chinchwad crime branch told TOI.

Pimpri Chinchwad police commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey has instructed all police stations and the crime branch to take stringent action against illegal liquor suppliers and sellers in the twin cities.

Officers in charge of all police stations have been told to draw up a list of illegal liquor dens and shops. Manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and shop owners are all on the police radar.

In the drive conducted over the weekend, the police concentrated their efforts on slum pockets and riverbeds, raiding several such locations.

An officer from the Pimpri Chinchwad police said that most of these spots were in Shirgaon and Parandwadi in Maval taluka, and Alandi, Chakan, and Mhalunge in Khed taluka.

“To avoid being caught by the police, these liquor manufacturers frequently change locations. Women from their families operate the manufacturing units, while male members are involved in the supply chain,” the officer said.

He added that the illegal liquor is brought into the city in the early hours of the day and supplied to shops in slum pockets. In Phugewadi, the accused, Karnail Singh Virka, used to receive cans of liquor early in the morning, as witnessed by many area residents and relayed to the police.

“His neighbours claimed that customers, mainly from the working class, used to visit Virka’s house,” the officer said.

Between Friday and Saturday, the Pimpri Chinchwad police raided locations in Shirgaon and Dehu Road in Maval taluka, Hinjewadi in Mulshi taluka, Nighoje, Bahul, and Mhalunge in Khed taluka, as well as Bavdhan, Pimpri, and Alandi.

Two men die on Saturday

Rajendra Tappo (36) of Phugewadi and Mahendra Ovhal (58) of Dapodi, who were undergoing treatment at different hospitals, died on Saturday in the case of the deadly spurious liquor.

Tappo, who hailed from Chhattisgarh, had come to Pune about six months ago in search of work. He is survived by his wife (26) and their four-year-old son. He was admitted to the district hospital in Sangvi.

An officer from the Pimpri Chinchwad police said that he had consumed liquor from the shop in Phugewadi.

Ovhal was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Pune. The post-mortem report confirmed that he had consumed liquor, police said.

Nine undergoing treatment

An officer from the Pimpri Chinchwad police told TOI that nine people who consumed the spurious liquor are currently undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

“The condition of two of them is critical. Though the state CID has taken over the investigation, we are monitoring the health status of the patients,” the officer said.