Two dead in Chhattisgarh after consuming local liquor

Two men, including a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) councillor and a private clinic operator, died in the Pamgarh area of Janjgir-Champa district, Chhattisgarh, after consuming local liquor.

The deceased have been identified as 55-year-old Ramkhilavan Jangde, a councillor for Ward 8, and 52-year-old Johitram Khare, who ran a private clinic. According to police reports, the two men were drinking with two other individuals on Friday night when they began experiencing severe breathing difficulties.

Both men were initially taken to the Pamgarh Community Health Center before being referred to hospitals in Bilaspur. Ramkhilavan Jangde was moved to the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), while Johitram Khare was admitted to Apollo Hospital; both succumbed to their illnesses during treatment.

A third individual, Kamal Nath Khare, remains hospitalized in critical condition at CIMS. Police are currently questioning a fourth individual, Mukesh Kashyap, regarding the incident. While authorities have not ruled out the possibility of toxic substances in the liquor, the official cause of death will be determined following a post-mortem examination and laboratory analysis of samples.