At least 14 people have died after allegedly consuming poisonous liquor in five villages of Punjab's Amritsar district, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The deaths were reported from the villages of Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Therewal, and Talwandi Ghuman. Along with the fatalities, six other people have been admitted to the hospital after falling sick due to the suspected hooch.

Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney confirmed the death toll and said that Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maninder Singh has visited the affected areas to assess the situation firsthand.

The police have acted quickly, arresting five people in connection with the case. The arrested individuals are Prabhjit Singh (believed to be the main accused), Kulbir Singh, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh, and Ninder Kaur.

Authorities stated that a case has been filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (India’s new criminal law code) and the Excise Act, which deals with the illegal production and sale of alcohol.

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