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Crime
Toxic liquor deaths in Sagar linked to illegal distillery in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 06 Sep 2026, 01:32 PM
👁 22
Police probing recent deaths from alleged poisonous liquor in Sagar’s Banda area have uncovered a link to a counterfeit QR‑code wrapper operation based in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Several deaths were reported in the Banda region of Sagar after consumption of liquor suspected to be contaminated with toxic substances. Initial police investigations focused on local manufacturers, but forensic analysis of the bottles revealed a QR‑code label that did not correspond to any licensed distillery.
Further inquiry traced the counterfeit QR‑code to a network operating out of Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh, where unregistered liquor was allegedly packaged with fake wrappers to evade detection. The Uttar Pradesh connection was established through seized packaging material and testimony from a recovered vendor who disclosed the supply chain.
Authorities from both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have coordinated to raid suspected production sites and seize illegal stock. The investigation remains ongoing, with officials emphasizing that the operation violated multiple food‑safety and excise regulations, and they have promised strict legal action against those responsible.
The deaths have prompted a broader call for stricter monitoring of illicit liquor across state borders, as health officials warn that similar schemes could pose a serious public‑health risk if left unchecked.
Further inquiry traced the counterfeit QR‑code to a network operating out of Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh, where unregistered liquor was allegedly packaged with fake wrappers to evade detection. The Uttar Pradesh connection was established through seized packaging material and testimony from a recovered vendor who disclosed the supply chain.
Authorities from both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have coordinated to raid suspected production sites and seize illegal stock. The investigation remains ongoing, with officials emphasizing that the operation violated multiple food‑safety and excise regulations, and they have promised strict legal action against those responsible.
The deaths have prompted a broader call for stricter monitoring of illicit liquor across state borders, as health officials warn that similar schemes could pose a serious public‑health risk if left unchecked.