Rajkot: Two men died under suspicious circumstances late on Sunday night after allegedly consuming country liquor at a residence in Bhagirath Society, falling under the jurisdiction of the B Division police station. The incident has raised concerns of a possible hooch tragedy. The deceased have been identified as Mansukh Dabhi (50) and Alpesh Sabariya (43).
Incident Details
According to police reports, both men consumed the liquor at a house on Street No. 10 around 10 pm on Sunday. Shortly after, they lost consciousness and were rushed to the civil hospital, where doctors declared them dead upon arrival. A forensic postmortem has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death. Officials are treating the case as suspicious and have registered an unnatural death report.
Investigation Underway
Inspector G R Chauhan of the B Division police station confirmed that CCTV footage from the house and surrounding areas has been seized for review. Three individuals, including Jina Bhagat and a bootlegger known as Ramla, are being questioned. Preliminary inquiries suggest that Sabariya purchased the liquor from Ramla. The trio initially planned to drink together, but Bhagat later withdrew. Investigators are also exploring claims that liquor pouches exchanged between Sabariya and Bhagat may have been tampered with.
Family Allegations
Dabhi’s family has alleged foul play. His eldest son, Vinay Dabhi, stated that his father was a laborer who also worked in the imitation jewelry sector. The family had recently begun renovating their house in Bhagirath Society. On the night of the incident, Dabhi’s younger son went to deliver food and found both men unconscious. Emergency services were called, but the men were declared dead at the hospital. An empty liquor pouch was recovered from the scene.
The family further alleged that Dabhi had previously reported Jina Bhagat’s suspected gambling activities to the police. Vinay Dabhi claimed that Bhagat was unhappy with the renovation and allegedly sought possession of their property. The family suspects that poison was deliberately added to the liquor. The investigation is ongoing.
