Main accused in MP Hooch tragedy held after encounter in Sagar

One of the main accused in the Madhya Pradesh spurious liquor case that has claimed 16 lives was arrested after an encounter with police in Sagar district early Friday, an official said.
Ravi Lakhera sustained a bullet injury to his leg, while two of his accomplices, who were travelling with him on a motorcycle, managed to flee, Additional Superintendent of Police Jayveer Bahdoriya said.Police intercepted Lakhera in the Baraytha forest, around 40 km from the Sagar district headquarters, following which an exchange of fire took place. Lakhera was injured in the firing and was taken to a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, for treatment. Police sources said his condition is stable,according to agency reports.
Lakhera is alleged to have been involved in manufacturing spurious liquor along with licensed liquor contractor Manish Lodhi, alias Yashwant Singh Lodhi. The liquor was allegedly distributed through peddlers in Sagar district.The spurious liquor tragedy has claimed 16 lives, while 32 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals. Of the 30 people named as accused, 16 have been arrested and one detained.
A resident of Gangapuram Colony in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur, Lakhera has around 25 criminal cases registered against him in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere, mostly under the Excise Act, police sources said. He originally hails from Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh.He was also wanted in a 2025 case registered at Baheriya police station in Sagar in connection with illegal liquor brewing.
Police sources said Lakhera was allegedly involved in manufacturing spurious liquor and procuring materials used in its production. He reportedly operated a team engaged in making the illicit liquor.Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a judicial inquiry into the hooch deaths.

VIDEO | Bhopal: On Sagar hooch tragedy, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) says, “As we had made it clear, regarding our law and order situation and the incident in Sagar, we had told the administration to take strict action. Under no circumstances will we tolerate… pic.twitter.com/c3Kfu3aWEI

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 11, 2026

While Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a judicial inquiry into the hooch deaths, the Communist Party of India has accused the MP government of shielding the liquor mafia and questioned the earlier claim by Sagar superintendent of police that the spurious liquor was supplied from Lalitpur, according to sources.