The Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT) has called for a comprehensive, evidence-based review of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989, following reports that suspected spurious liquor consumption has claimed 23 lives in Mokokchung and Tuensang districts.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the MTLT said the deaths of three persons at Longpayimsen village on October 15 and 16, suspected to have resulted from methanol poisoning, had once again highlighted the dangers posed by adulterated alcohol. It cautioned that the actual death toll could be higher due to unreported cases.
While acknowledging the response of the district administration and police, including their stated commitment to a zero-tolerance approach towards illegal alcohol, the MTLT questioned whether strict enforcement of the prohibition law alone could resolve a crisis that continued despite the prohibition.
Calls for legislative review
“The MTLT believes that the present situation cannot be attributed solely to bootlegging, alcohol adulteration, or inadequate enforcement,” the organisation stated, adding that the continuing fatalities also raised concerns about the effectiveness of the existing policy framework. “The continued availability of dangerous liquor and the resulting loss of lives call for an honest assessment of the law, its implementation, and its broader consequences for society,” it added.
The MTLT clarified that its call for a review did not amount to an outright demand for repeal of the Act. Instead, it urged elected representatives to initiate a thorough and constructive debate in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. “The MTLT does not believe that placing blame on the government, the Church, and civil society will serve any meaningful purpose. Equally, entrenched positions either in favour of or against the NLTP Act will not resolve the crisis. What is urgently required is a thorough, informed, and constructive debate within the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, where elected representatives must examine the effectiveness of the Act and determine an appropriate way forward,” the MTLT stated.
Maintaining that a law must be effective in practice and serve the purpose for which it was enacted, MTLT said a prohibition policy that failed to prevent illicit activities risked driving them underground, making regulation more difficult and exposing citizens to greater danger.
“The MTLT therefore calls for a comprehensive review of the NLTP Act, not an outright demand for its repeal, but an evidence-based assessment of its implementation, effectiveness, and impact on public welfare,” it added.
Urging the elected representatives to take up the matter in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly without fear or favour, the MTLT said they must examine whether the existing policy adequately protects public health and human life. The organisation also called for legal and policy scrutiny of the State’s constitutional responsibility to protect the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
“How many more lives must be lost before meaningful legislative action is taken? The MTLT believes that without concrete policy interventions, the circulation of spurious liquor and the resulting fatalities may continue,” it said.
“The present crisis demands more than enforcement alone,” MTLT said, adding, “it requires a sustainable, evidence-based response that addresses illicit alcohol distribution, public safety, and the wider social consequences of alcohol dependence.”
MTLT presses police for answers on 15,824 empty McDowell’s bottles seized
The MTLT further urged Mokokchung police to clarify the status of the investigation into the seizure of 15,824 empty McDowell’s rum bottles at Sewak Gate on May 8, 2026, during a surprise vehicle check.
According to the organisation, reports at the time indicated that police suspected the bottles were being transported for the manufacture of adulterated liquor. It called on the authorities to establish their intended use, determine whether they were linked to any illicit liquor-manufacturing operation and take appropriate action if wrongdoing was established.
Cautions against substance abuse
The organisation also appealed to consumers to avoid liquor from unverified sources and strongly cautioned against turning to narcotics or other harmful substances amid the scarcity of alcohol.
Warning against the possibility of another drug epidemic reminiscent of the 1990s, the MTLT said society could not afford to lose another generation to substance abuse and addiction. It called for collective responsibility and decisive action to prevent a recurrence of such a crisis.
The MTLT urged the government, district administration, law enforcement agencies, elected representatives, the Church and civil society to work together towards a practical and sustainable response that combined effective enforcement with responsible policymaking and a critical assessment of existing laws.
It reiterated that protecting human life must remain the highest priority and said no law or policy should be beyond scrutiny when its effectiveness and public welfare were at stake.
The statement was signed by MTLT president Imnaonen Pongen and general secretary Moarenba Ozukum.