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Four people have died and 18 others are hospitalised, eight critically, after consuming spurious liquor in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district. The illicit liquor, allegedly transported from Madhya Pradesh and sold under the name of a popular IMFL brand, has triggered a statewide police crackdown.

The company faced backlash on social media platforms as imagery on the product label had a resemblance to a religious iconography

The company, Radico Khaitan, has used the name ‘Trikal’ on its IMFL on its single malt bottle priced at Rs 3,500- Rs 4,500. The whisky bottle with a teal label also carries a line-drawn figure of a face with closed eyes and a circle on the forehead – allegedly similar to Lord Shiva’s third eye

The cash-strapped Congress government has approved restoration of "Special Excise Cess (SEC)" of Rs 10 per 180 ml size bottle and proportionately for higher sizes on all categories liquor with effect from May 18

Officials said alcohol worth Rs 708 crore was sold in the district for 2024-25 financial year as against Rs 703 crore in the previous fiscal year

According to officials, 20.75 lakh cartons of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and 26.23 lakh cartons of beer were sold in 2024 in the district

2019.57 litres of IMFL liquor was seized in Dharmapuri circle limits including Dharmapuri, Velgatoor and Gollapalli police stations limits since 2003 and registered 117 cases.

According to Excise officials, based on a tip-off, they conducted raids on a closed rice mill on the outskirts of Katnapalli and found the liquor stored illegally.