IPS Officer Anurag Sujania Resigns Following Transfer Over Sagar Hooch Tragedy

Indian Police Service officer Anurag Sujania has resigned from government service. Sujania, a 38-year-old officer of the 2014 batch, submitted his resignation on November 2.

Transfer and Resignation

His resignation follows his recent removal as Sagar superintendent of police. The government transferred him along with district collector Pratibha Pal on October 27. Sujania was subsequently posted as assistant inspector general at the police headquarters. A senior IPS officer confirmed that Sujania resigned due to personal reasons and noted that his resignation request has been forwarded to the state government. Sujania has not made any public comments on his departure.

Hooch Tragedy Context

The transfer came two months after a hooch tragedy in Sagar district's Banda area. At least 20 people died after consuming spurious liquor sold by bootleggers for 70 rupees a bottle on September 7, while another 100 people were hospitalised. The state government told the high court that the cause of death for seven other individuals was not clear. Following the incident, the government set up a one-man judicial inquiry led by retired justice VPS Chauhan.

Political and Past Fallout

Opposition leaders, including former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, strongly criticised Sujania after the tragedy. Singh pointed out that 24 people also died in Morena district in 2021 after consuming illicit liquor when Sujania served as the district SP there. An inquiry at that time showed that illegal liquor sales occurred under police protection, which led to his removal from the Morena post then. The State IPS Association discussed the current case with chief minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday. Chief minister Yadav later held a meeting with senior police officers at his residence to review the state law and order situation and discuss measures to curb the liquor mafia in Madhya Pradesh. The state government has not yet taken a final decision on Sujania's resignation.

Context

IPS officers in India are elite civil servants who hold key leadership roles in district law and administration. Hooch tragedies involving illicit liquor regularly highlight enforcement challenges and accountability issues within local police machinery.