Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, wrote a formal letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging the Centre to intervene in what he described as a recurring crisis of spurious liquor deaths across the state. Patwari demanded an independent probe, coordinated interstate enforcement action, and accountability for administrative failures that he alleged have allowed the illegal liquor trade to persist.

What Patwari Demanded

In the letter, Patwari called for an independent investigation into the repeated hooch deaths in Madhya Pradesh, a comprehensive review of the state's excise administration, and a specific probe into alleged monitoring failures in Sagar district. He also sought coordinated action by enforcement agencies across state lines to dismantle what he described as an organised network spanning raw material supply, packaging, transportation, and distribution.

Patwari further demanded financial assistance for the families of the deceased, proper medical treatment for those affected, and criminal and administrative action against officials found responsible for lapses.

The Incidents Cited

Patwari cited a series of tragedies to build his case. He referenced the deaths of 14 people in Ujjain in October 2020, 24 deaths in Morena in January 2021, a liquor-related incident in Mandsaur in 2021 in which over seven people died, and 20 hooch deaths reported in Sagar district in September 2026. He also referred to recent deaths reported in Chandana and Bisakhana villages in Dewas district, alleging that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had failed to prevent these recurring tragedies. Notably, the circumstances and causes of the latest Dewas district incident remain subject to ongoing investigation.

Congress Targets Chief Minister Yadav

Patwari directly questioned the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led government's handling of the crisis, alleging a systemic collapse in state administration. 'The state's administrative system has completely collapsed,' he wrote in the letter, pressing the Centre to step in where the state had, in his view, failed.

'People of Madhya Pradesh no longer want assurances; they want results. The deaths due to spurious liquor must stop, and accountability must be fixed not only for the criminals but also for officials found responsible,' Patwari wrote.

Broader Political Context

This letter is part of a sustained Congress campaign targeting the Madhya Pradesh government over liquor-related deaths. The opposition has repeatedly alleged enforcement failures and demanded accountability, making the issue a key plank in its criticism of the state administration. This comes amid wider national concern over hooch tragedies, which have claimed hundreds of lives across multiple states over the past several years. Whether the Centre formally responds to Patwari's letter or defers the matter to state jurisdiction remains to be seen.