Dimapur: Four people died while four others have reportedly fallen ill after consuming spurious liquor in Mangkolemba sub-division of Nagaland’s Mokokchung district in the last few days.
Mokokchung additional SP, in a release dated September 24, said the Mokokchung police received reports that four persons died in the last few days while four others also reportedly fell ill after consuming suspected spurious/adulterated McDowell rum.
However, the exact cause of the deaths and illness is under investigation and subject to medical and other supporting evidence, the release said.
The Mangkolemba police station has registered a case vide Case No. 002 U/S 105 BNS read with Sections 44(a), (c), (d) & (e) of the NLTP Act. Six persons have been arrested, and suspected adulterated liquor has been seized, the release said.
A thorough investigation has been initiated to ascertain the circumstances leading to the deaths and illness of the victims, to trace the source and supply chain of the suspected spurious liquor, and to identify all persons involved in its manufacture, transportation, distribution or sale.
Police said appropriate legal action will be taken against all persons found involved.
The release said there is a possibility that liquor from the suspected source may have been distributed to other places in the state, cautioning that consumption of such liquor may pose a serious risk to life and health.
The police urged the public to immediately seek medical attention and inform the nearest police station or concerned authority if any person who, after consuming liquor, experiences gastric pain, dizziness, blurred vision, breathing difficulties, severe headache, or loss of consciousness.
The public was also urged to report any suspected sale or storage of spurious/adulterated liquor, or any information about its source and distribution, to the police.
Earlier in the second week of this month, nine people died in Tuensang Civil Hospital after consuming suspected spurious liquor.