Pune hooch deaths rise to 22; several officials suspended

Seventy four years old Tarabai Shivnath Netke is still in a state of shock, though she reported to work hours after her nephew’s death in the spurious liquor case.

On Saturday (May 30, 2026), a day after the family cremated Sachin Ramchandra Netke (30), she felt upset that he had not told them that he had sat with his friends to drink the spurious liquor. Sachin was a daily wage labourer and was one of the 22 victims in the spurious liquor case. The Maharashtra government has so far suspended 22 officials of the police and excise department.

“In our area of Sanjay Nagar in Phugewadi, 12 persons have died in the last three days. A day after, there were a few deaths, and we kept asking Sachin about whether he too had consumed the spurious liquor. He kept denying and telling us that he drank only good-quality liquor. His cousin served him food on Thursday night. The same night, his friend had developed complications. First, he could not see. Then, when he was taken to the hospital, he could not walk too. He passed away thereafter. We got very scared, and we kept asking Sachin to tell us the truth. When he did not relent, we let him be. But on Friday morning, when Gorakh, his cousin, came to know of another death in the colony, he sent his sister to check on Sachin at 6 am. His mouth had frothed, and he was lying cold on the bed. The hospital declared him dead,” Ms. Tarabai said. She said that the hospital had conducted a post mortem and had declared poisoning as the cause of death.

“This Sardarji has been selling spurious liquor in the area for decades now. He had his tin shed just a few metres away from the basti, near the railway track. He used to sell the liquor in plastic bags for ₹10 or ₹20. The locals used to call these thin plastic sheets ‘balloons’. The officials used to visit the area regularly. But no action was taken before this,” she said.

On Saturday (May 30), the death toll increased from 15 to 22. The State Crime Investigation Department (CID) took over the probe. 22 officials from the police and excise departments were suspended. Medical sources at Sassoon Hospital pointed to the presence of spirit and methanol in village liquor as a possible cause of death.

Of the 22 deceased, twelve died in the Phugewadi incident and six in the Hadapsar area. The remaining four deaths were recorded at Sassoon Hospital. Three patients who consumed village liquor died during treatment at the hospital. They were admitted on Thursday night from Pandhare Mala (one person) and Sasane Nagar (two persons). Symptoms included vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, and blurred vision. Each patient died within two to three hours of admission. A fourth person from Dapodi died before being brought to the hospital. His autopsy was conducted on Friday morning, and the body was handed over to relatives.

Dr. Eknath Pawar, Dean of Sassoon Hospital, said the bodies of the three patients who died during treatment have been autopsied. Their vital organs will be sent for chemical analysis. He added that the exact cause of death will be known after that analysis.

The Director General of Police has transferred the investigation to the CID. The process of taking official possession of documents, panchnamas, and the investigation report from the local police has started. A CID special team will trace where the liquor came from and where it was manufactured.

Sunil Ramanand, Additional Director General of Police, CID, said the investigation will be based on forensic and circumstantial evidence. He stated that the main perpetrators of the crime will be given punishment as per law. Ramanand had previously taken action under MCOCA against an organised gang during his tenure as Special Inspector General of Police in CID.

The 22 suspended officials include three officers from the Pune police force, six from the Pimpri Chinchwad police force, and thirteen from the state excise department. The suspended officials include inspectors, sub-inspectors, and other employees.