19 dead, 19 arrested in Nagaland after suspected spurious liquor tragedy

At least 19 people have died in Nagaland’s Mokokchung and Tuensang districts over the past two days after allegedly consuming suspected spurious liquor, triggering a major police investigation into the source and distribution network of the illicit alcohol.

Police have so far arrested 19 people in connection with the deaths, while nearly 3,000 bottles of liquor have been seized during raids at multiple locations.

A police official in Kohima said eight deaths were reported in Mokokchung district and 11 in Tuensang. Authorities have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Bunglang Chang, to investigate the deaths and identify those responsible for supplying the suspected adulterated liquor.

“Some leads have been obtained, but it is too premature to disclose details,” the official said.

Samples of the suspected liquor have been sent to a laboratory in Guwahati for forensic testing. The examination is expected to help determine whether toxic or adulterated substances in the liquor were responsible for the deaths.

The latest incident has once again raised concerns over the circulation of illicit alcohol in Nagaland, which has had a prohibition law in place since 1990. Despite the ban, illegal production, sale and consumption of liquor continue to pose enforcement and public health challenges in parts of the state.

Police have repeatedly warned residents against consuming unidentified, unlabelled or unauthorised liquor. People experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, breathing difficulties or loss of consciousness after consuming alcohol have been urged to seek immediate medical attention.

The latest deaths also come less than a month after another suspected spurious liquor incident in Tuensang. Earlier this month, at least nine people, including three members of the same family, died after allegedly consuming suspected adulterated liquor.

The earlier deaths were reported from Tuensang Town and Chendang Saddle on September 10 and 11. According to preliminary enquiries, several victims had consumed liquor before developing symptoms including blurred vision, severe headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and breathing difficulties.

Following that incident, Nagaland Police issued a red alert and appealed to people to stay away from liquor obtained from unknown or unauthorised sources.

Nagaland Director General of Police Rupin Sharma had said the victims were suspected to have died after consuming spurious liquor.

Authorities have since stepped up public awareness campaigns to warn residents about the potentially fatal risks associated with illegally produced or adulterated alcohol.

The investigation into the latest deaths is continuing, with police focusing on tracing the supply chain and determining the exact cause of the fatalities.