MP government sets five‑member panel to probe Dewas spurious‑liquor deaths

UPDATE - follow-up to Panel formed to probe spurious liquor death claims in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas; report in 15 days: The Madhya Pradesh government has set up a five‑member committee to investigate claims that at least ten villagers died after drinking spurious liquor in Dewas district. Ujjain Additional District Magistrate Pratham Kaushik will chair the probe, joined by Additional Superintendent of Police Ramsanehi Mishra, Sub‑Divisional Police Officer Lekhraj Meena, Deputy Excise Commissioner Harshvardhan Rai and Regional Director of Public Health Dr Deepak Kumar Pippal. The panel must submit its findings within 15 days, per the divisional commissioner’s order. Villagers say the deaths occurred between 27 September and 16 October, while the district administration earlier dismissed the allegations, noting ten deaths in Chandana village from 1 to 15 October that it linked to old age, common illnesses, brain haemorrhage or health decline due to heavy alcohol use. The administration has sent viscera samples of two deceased persons to a forensic science laboratory for analysis, awaiting cause‑of‑death reports. Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari, however, alleges that 22 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Chandana, Binjana and nearby areas over the past month and that about 40 residents suffered eye damage. He accuses the administration of hiding the deaths and protecting a liquor mafia. ## Context Spurious‑liquor incidents have periodically triggered forensic inquiries in India, and a committee report can prompt legal action or policy changes.