Sagar Hooch Tragedy Links to UP; Fake Labels and QR Codes Used to Deceive Buyers
A spurious liquor tragedy in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh has been linked to suppliers in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur district. Police investigation revealed that a couple from Lalitpur supplied fake liquor using counterfeit wrappers, lids, and QR codes designed to mimic genuine bottles. The bottles were distributed across villages including Bandri, Badodiya, Gugra Khurd, Nauraj and Barrage, making it difficult for buyers to distinguish real from fake products.
The incident echoes earlier tragedies in the state. In October 2020, 14 people died in Ujjain after consuming spurious liquor, leading to suspension of police personnel. A similar tragedy in Morena district in January 2021 killed 24 people, prompting a high-level probe and administrative action including removal of district collector and superintendent of police.
