In a dramatic early morning operation, police in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district captured one of the most wanted suspects linked to a devastating hooch tragedy that claimed 16 lives. The arrest came after a tense exchange of gunfire that left the accused nursing a leg wound.

Key facts

  • Shivanjay Rajput, 21, was captured on September 13, 2026
  • He carried a bounty of ₹30,000 for his alleged role in the hooch tragedy
  • Rajput suffered a gunshot wound to the leg during the encounter
  • Police recovered a pistol, cartridges, a mobile phone, and a motorcycle

A Tense Standoff in the Forest

Acting on a tip, police teams cordoned off the Kathua Nala forest area near Bahrol police station before dawn. They believed Rajput—who had been evading capture since the spurious liquor deaths—might try to slip through on his motorcycle. When officers spotted him, the situation escalated quickly.

Rajput allegedly fired three rounds at the police team. Officers returned fire, striking him in the leg. The brief clash ended with his arrest and rushed transport to a hospital. His condition was reported as stable.

Deepening Criminal Links

This isn’t Rajput’s first brush with the law. Police say he already faced three criminal cases and had a history of liquor smuggling. He’s accused of being directly involved in brewing the toxic alcohol that led to so many deaths in Sagar.

His capture brings the total number of arrests in the case to 19. Just two days earlier, another key suspect—Ravi Lakhera, who carried the same ₹30,000 reward—was also caught after an encounter. Lakhera, from Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur, was allegedly part of the same manufacturing network.

A Community in Mourning

The tragedy has left villages across Sagar district reeling. Sixteen people have died since last week after consuming the counterfeit liquor, with one patient still fighting for life in hospital. Police believe a gang operating from Lalitpur was behind the production and supply of the deadly brew.

For now, there’s a small measure of relief that another key player is off the streets. But for the families in mourning, the arrest is a bitter footnote to an irreversible loss.