Spurious liquor deaths in Bhavnagar, Gujarat: death toll rises to seven, 30 hospitalised

The death toll due to consumption of spurious liquor in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, has risen to seven, with 30 persons currently hospitalized, according to police reports on Thursday, August 20, 2026. Police have detained 12 bootleggers and registered an FIR against 21 individuals in connection with the incident. The state of Gujarat, known for its strict prohibition on alcohol, has experienced seven fatalities after consuming counterfeit liquor, with 30 others receiving medical treatment, reported Inspector General of Police R.V. Asari.

An accidental death case emerged when a person passed away after ingesting toxic liquor laced with chemicals in Kharakadi village, under Vartej police jurisdiction. Subsequently, an FIR was filed naming 21 accused individuals, he added. The police are actively investigating the case, and a team from the State Monitoring Cell has been assigned to handle the situation. So far, 12 individuals have been apprehended, stated the police.

Victims reportedly consumed spurious liquor in duplicate bottles of a popular Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand. The district administration received an alert around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, regarding a group of five friends who fell ill after consuming illicit liquor during a party in Kharakadi village, Ghogha taluka.

It later transpired that people from other villages and regions within Bhavnagar city were also affected, informed Bhavnagar Collector Manish Kumar on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Superintendent of Police Nitesh Pandey revealed that a similar incident occurred a few days earlier, where individuals consumed liquor from duplicate bottles of an IMFL brand in Kharakadi village, leading to their deteriorating health.

Medical teams from Sir T Hospital and Ahmedabad's kidney hospital IKDRC were deployed to provide free treatment at private hospitals. Preliminary investigations indicate that the affected bottles were sourced from Madhya Pradesh, and authorities are probing the source, production, and origin of the bottles brought to Bhavnagar. Numerous bottles of the same brand have been seized from bootleggers, and efforts are underway to apprehend additional individuals involved in the illicit supply of spurious liquor, concluded the official.