Gujarat Hooch Tragedy: Death Toll Climbs To 40, Three In Critical Condition

Seven people died in the last 12 hours taking the death toll to 40.

A man is shifted on a stretcher upon arriving in an ambulance at the civil hospital in Ahmedabad on July 26, 2022, after suffering health problems due to consuming bootleg liquor. ( Image Source :Getty )

New Delhi: The number of deaths due to the consumption of illicit liquor in Gujarat’s Botad district climbed to 40 after seven people died in the last 12 hours, PTI reported, citing police officials. Out of those who died, 31 were from different villages in Botad and nine were natives of neighbouring Dhandhuka taluka in Ahmedabad district, the report said.

Medical Superintendent, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital told ANI, that 40 more patients have been admitted to the hospital so far out of which 3 are in critical condition while rest are "stable and healthy".

Gujarat | Till now, 40 patients have been admitted here. Out of 40 patients, 3 are in critical condition. All patients except those in critical condition are stable & healthy: Medical Superintendent, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on Botad hooch tragedy pic.twitter.com/iVIZRxT3jq

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2022

The Botad and Ahmedabad police on Tuesday registered three First Information Reports (FIRs) against nearly 20 culprits under the Indian Penal Code Sections 302 (murder), 328 (causing hurt by poison) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and arrested at least 10 of them, PTI reported.

One of the accused, Jatubha Rathod, who was named in an FIR registered by Barvala police in Botad was arrested on Wednesday by Vadodara rural police. Rathod had been missing since booked. 

The matter came to light early Monday morning when some people living in Rojid town in Botad and other encompassing towns were referred to government hospitals in the Barvala region after their condition began deteriorating.

In the primary investigation, it was discovered that some small-time bootleggers of different villages in the Botad district had made illicit liquor by mixing water and methyl alcohol or Methanol, a highly poisonous industrial solvent, and sold it to villagers for Rs 20 per pouch.

Forensic analysis established that the victims consumed methyl alcohol.

According to the report, investigation revealed that a person named Jayesh aka Raju had stolen 600 litres of methyl alcohol from a godown in Ahmedabad where he worked as a manager and then sold it to his Botad-based cousin Sanjay for Rs 40,000 on July 25. Despite knowing that it was an industrial solvent, Sanjay sold the chemical to bootleggers of different villages of Botad, who then mixed the solvent with water and sold it as country-made liquor, police were quoted as saying by PTI. 

Gujarat Home Department formed a three-member committee headed by IPS officer Subhash Trivedi to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident and submit a report within three days, as per a government release, PTI reported.