Bhavnagar, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Four people have died and 18 others have been hospitalised, including eight in critical condition, after allegedly consuming spurious liquor illegally transported from Madhya Pradesh and sold in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, police said on Wednesday.
The victims reportedly consumed duplicate liquor sold under the name of a popular Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand. Gujarat is a dry state, where the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcohol are prohibited.
Gujarat Director General of Police G.S. Malik said four deaths had been reported so far and directed police units across the state to intensify checks.
The first death was reported on Tuesday evening, followed by another later that night, while two more people died on Wednesday. At least 22 people are believed to have been affected.
The deaths of Kartik Makwana, 40, Upendra Gohil, 25, and Ghanshyamsinh Jadeja, 50, have been confirmed as being linked to spurious liquor consumption. The post-mortem and toxicology reports of the fourth victim, Narendra Yadav, are awaited. All four were residents of Bhavnagar district.
Of the 18 people currently undergoing treatment at five hospitals, including Sir Takhtasinhji General Hospital and four private facilities, two are in critical condition, four are in intensive care, two are on ventilator support and 10 are stable.
The district administration received information around 6 p.m. on Tuesday that four people had fallen ill after consuming illicit liquor at a gathering in Kharkadi village in Ghogha taluka on August 16.
Senior government doctors have been deputed to private hospitals to oversee treatment, while a nephrology team from the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre (IKDRC), Ahmedabad, is being sent to Bhavnagar.
Bhavnagar Police detained four suspected bootleggers on Tuesday night in connection with the alleged transportation of liquor from Madhya Pradesh and its subsequent sale in the district.
Superintendent of Police Nitesh Pandey said 16 teams had been formed to arrest those involved and establish the extent of the distribution network.
Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams have joined the investigation and samples of the suspected liquor have been sent for testing.
Ahmedabad Rural Police have also intensified checks after the suspected route used to transport the liquor was found to have passed through the district. Around 800 personnel conducted checking operations from Tuesday night until 6 a.m. Wednesday, leading to the registration of 177 liquor-related cases.
The checking operation is being expanded to around 500 villages. Police teams will interact with residents and village representatives to trace the possible movement, storage and sale of the suspected liquor.
Village sarpanches have also been asked to immediately report information about illegal liquor.
Ahmedabad Rural SP Om Prakash Jat urged residents to share information about any movement or storage of the suspected liquor with the police.
Police have specifically warned residents against consuming liquor being sold under the brand name ‘Royal Stag’ and urged anyone who has purchased or consumed such liquor to immediately inform the authorities.
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