Mokokchung, Nagaland: At least 19 people have died allegedly after consuming spurious liquor in Nagaland, prompting police to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to trace the source and supply chain of suspected adulterated liquor.
Mokokchung district reported eight deaths, while 11 people died in Tuensang district over the past two days after consuming suspected illicit liquor, police said.
An SIT headed by Additional Superintendent of Police I Bunglang Chang has been constituted to investigate the deaths and trace the source and supply chain of the suspected adulterated liquor, Senior Superintendent of Police Vesupra Kezo said on Saturday.
Samples have been sent to Guwahati for forensic examination to determine the cause of the deaths, Kezo said.
"We have obtained some leads, but it is too premature to disclose details," he said.
Following the deaths, police carried out multiple raids, arrested 19 people and seized nearly 3,000 bottles of liquor.
Police have advised people to refrain from consuming unidentified, unlabelled, or suspected illicit liquor and urged anyone developing symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, breathing difficulties, or loss of consciousness after consuming alcohol to seek medical care immediately.