On the dusty roads near Mamadapur Phata in Maharashtra's Latur, the shadow of illegal liquor stretches long and dark. Three years ago, 28-year-old Ratan Anand More, a daily wage labourer from a nearby village, died after consuming cheap country liquor laced with deadly methanol. His widow, Sandhya More, still battles the harsh reality of raising their two young children alone, haunted not just by grief but by a justice system that has failed her family.
“His death was no accident. It was poison sold right in our backyard, and no one stopped it,” Sandhya said, her voice steady despite years of hardship. “We don’t want promises or speeches. We want the government and police to act.”
Ratan’s story is heartbreakingly common in Latur Rural, where illicit liquor has silently devastated families for years. What’s new is a recent police crackdown that has stirred cautious hope; but also questions about political will, accountability, and how deep the nexus really runs.
The Quint spoke to the families impacted, social activists, and the police to understand the extent of the nexus and the crackdown.