Madhya Pradesh Police inspector mowed down by truck carrying illicit liquor in Dewas

SHO Dilip Puri. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement An inspector of Madhya Pradesh Police has been allegedly mowed down in Dewas district by a truck that he had intercepted on suspicion of smuggling illegal liquor, police said on Monday (November 1, 2026). The officer has been identified as Khategaon police station incharge Dilip Puri. Dewas Superintendent of Police Aditya Mishra said that Mr. Puri was leading one of five teams formed to track the transportation of illicit liquor on Sunday night and that the incident took place on Indore-Betul highway in the wee hours of Monday when one such truck had been stopped at a check-point. Mr. Mishra said that the police have seized the alleged vehicle and more than 1,800 litres of liquor without any purchase bills. “Police had received information about transportation of illegal liquor in the area and five teams involving various police stations had been formed to intercept it. Dilip ji was leading one of the teams,” Mr. Mishra said, adding that an FIR has been lodged in the case and an investigation has been launched. A post-mortem has been conducted on the deceased officer’s body and a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed in the case. Another police officer said that the truck driver and staff fled the scene after leaving the truck at some distance following the incident, and a search is underway for them. Mr. Puri had joined the service in 2007 as a sub-inspector and had been posted in Dewas just a few months ago. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son. The incident comes amid the ongoing investigation into the death of 13 people in two villages of the district, allegedly due to spurious liquor. In the past one week, the police had also arrested 11 people in connection with manufacturing and sale of illicit and counterfeit liquor in the region. Following the incident, the government had also transferred both the Collector and SP of the district amid the controversy. Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress has hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over law and order in the State, alleging that the liquor mafia “had no fear of the police and administration left”. Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Umang Singhar said, “[Chief Minister] Mohan Yadav ji, you hold the Home Department. What are you doing? Are you not able to stop the liquor mafia selling liquor openly? Why is it that no action is taken on senior officials?”“Mr. Chief Minister, now mere paperwork and pretenses won’t suffice. There must be such stringent action against the mafias that it instills the fear of the law in criminals, and no one has the courage to repeat such an act!” Mr. Singhar said on X. Earlier in September, more than 25 people had died after drinking counterfeit, poisonous liquor in Sagar district, after which the government had claimed that an operation to crackdown on illicit liquor trade had been launched in the State. Published - November 02, 2026 12:23 pm IST