19 Deaths in Months: Women Lead Protests in Jabalpur Against Illicit Liquor

Anger and grief have erupted on the streets of Jabalpur after at least 19 people allegedly lost their lives over the past few months due to the consumption of illicit liquor. The tragedy has hit hardest in the Baba Tola and Sindhi Camp localities, where women—many of them widows and mothers—have stepped forward to lead protests demanding an immediate end to illegal alcohol sales.

Holding photographs of their husbands, sons and brothers, dozens of women marched to the office of the Superintendent of Police, raising slogans and placards with a single plea: stop liquor from destroying their neighbourhood. What began as quiet mourning has now transformed into collective resistance, driven by the belief that unchecked alcohol availability is wiping out entire families.

Among the most devastating stories is that of Maya Bai, a resident whose life has been hollowed out by alcohol addiction in her family. She lost her husband and both her sons—one after the other—to excessive drinking. Today, she survives with the support of her daughter and daughter-in-law, her home a painful reminder of lives lost too soon.

“If liquor is not stopped here, no young man in this area will survive,” she said, her voice reflecting the fear shared by many women in the locality.

Her story is echoed across Baba Tola and Sindhi Camp, where residents claim that multiple families have lost four or five members each to cheap and allegedly adulterated liquor. According to locals, illegal alcohol is freely sold in small pouches priced as low as Rs 10, Rs 20 and Rs 50, making it easily accessible to daily wage labourers and economically vulnerable groups.

Residents allege that liquor sold legally for around Rs 100 is available illegally for nearly half the price, encouraging excessive consumption. Women say a large portion of household income is spent on alcohol, leaving families struggling with hunger, debt and medical crises. In many cases, the death of the primary earning member has pushed families into extreme distress, leaving women, children and elderly relatives without support.

The situation reached a breaking point after the death toll climbed to 19. Protesters took to the streets, displaying photographs of the deceased and demanding the removal of liquor shops and strict action against those running illegal alcohol networks. Women leading the protest said alcohol has not only taken away loved ones but erased entire family lineages, leaving no earning member behind.

In response to the mounting outrage, district administration and police officials have increased their presence in the affected areas. Teams are going door to door to record statements from victim families and assess the scale of the problem. Authorities have acknowledged that excessive alcohol consumption appears to be a key factor behind the deaths, while investigations into the sale of illicit liquor are ongoing.

Jabalpur’s Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Sanjay Mishra said consumption of adulterated liquor can cause severe liver damage, often proving fatal. He added that medical records and post-mortem findings will be examined to determine the exact cause of death in each case.

A significant portion of the population in Baba Tola and Sindhi Camp belongs to Scheduled Caste communities. Residents say poverty, lack of awareness and easy access to cheap liquor have pushed this already vulnerable population to the edge. For now, police teams continue to document testimonies, while families wait for accountability and concrete action.

As protests continue, one question echoes through the narrow lanes of these localities: will 19 deaths finally force the system to act, or will more lives be lost before meaningful change arrives?