Mumbai, May 30 (IANS) The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday said the hooch tragedy in Pune, which claimed 16 lives after consumption of spurious liquor, reflects a failure of the administrative and law enforcement system, alleging that it is a “product of a corrupt system”.

In an editorial published in its mouthpiece, Saamana, the party said the tragedy cannot be treated as an accident, claiming that such illegal trade cannot operate without the collusion of the police and the State Excise Department.

The editorial targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, alleging deterioration in governance and misuse of the Home Department against political opponents, which has weakened policing at the ground level.

He remains entirely consumed by election logistics and aligning his own political equations. Currently, the Home Department is being used to harass political opponents and blackmail them by implicating them in fabricated cases. Consequently, the police machinery has completely lost its ground-level connection with the public, the editorial said.

“While the Chief Minister claims strict action against criminals, the hooch tragedy has devastated 16 innocent families. As Home Minister, Devendra Fadnavis must take responsibility,” remarked the editorial, adding that the state government is facing immense pressure on whether to provide financial compensation to the kin of victims.

According to the editorial, Pune and the surrounding Maval region have transformed into major hubs for illicit country liquor. In areas across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, bootlegging dens (haatbhatti) operate entirely in the open. It said daily-wage workers often turn to cheap liquor, which is allegedly adulterated with methanol to increase profits.

The editorial alleged that such open sale of spurious liquor and other illegal activities continue under political patronage and with the active involvement of enforcement agencies. It also flagged a rise in violent crimes in Pune, including robberies, sexual assaults, and gang violence. The city has witnessed a surge in broad-daylight crimes, including armed robberies, sexual assaults, and murders of young girls in recent times, the editorial said.

Referring to recent restrictions imposed by the Pune Police Commissioner mandating early closures of establishments, the editorial said the incident occurred in broad daylight, calling into question the effectiveness of such measures.

“This tragic incident did not occur under the cover of darkness; the lethal poison was sold and consumed in broad daylight. This has prompted citizens to ask sarcastically — Will the police now order Pune to shut down during the day as well?” asked the Thackeray camp.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that the tragedy has also exposed deep political and ideological hypocrisy. “Local right-wing leaders and neo-Hindu outfits frequently organise aggressive protests and agitations over socio-religious issues like Hindu-Muslim conflicts, ‘Love Jihad’, religious conversions, and Eid sacrifices, claiming that the community is in grave danger. However, although both the sellers and the victims of this toxic liquor belonged to the same community, these organisations have maintained a tight-lipped silence,” it noted.

Furthermore, the state administration, which is notoriously quick to deploy bulldozers to demolish properties belonging to minority communities, has notably spared these lethal illicit liquor dens. The Thackeray camp alleged that this immunity exists because these dens serve poison to the poor under the direct protection of the ruling political class.

–IANS

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