Gujarat hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 12, at least 20 hospitalised after consuming illicit liquor
The hooch tragedy in Gujarat has left the state shaken up, with over 10 people dead in Ahmedabad after consuming illicit liquor. According to officials, dozens have been hospitalised and remain in critical condition due to the circulation of illegal and poisonous hooch.
Following the death of several people in Ahmedabad Rural and Botad districts in Gujarat due to the consumption of illicit liquor, Congress MLA from Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad district, Rajesh Gohil, claimed on Monday evening that 12 persons have died in the hooch tragedy.
However, Botad district Superintendent of Police, Karanmrajsinh Vaghela put the total death toll of the Gujarat hooch tragedy at 10. Officials are further saying that the number of deaths is much higher than the current toll, and is expected to rise in the next few days.
Bhavnagar Range Inspector General Ashok Kumar Yadav has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the tragedy. As Gujarat is a dry state where circulation and sale of liquor are banned, authorities were left shocked by the scale of the hooch tragedy.
Gohil told IANS that according to the briefing of village sarpanchs, four persons died in Rojid, three in Aakru, two each in Uchadi and Chandarva while one person died in Aniyari village. It is being speculated that over 20 people have been hospitalised till now.
Meanwhile, the police have detained a few persons and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Ahmedabad crime branch have also joined the investigation. Authorities said that the charge of murder can also be added to the list of crimes of the hooch circulators.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is on a visit to Gujarat, has termed this incident as “unfortunate” and alleged that illegal liquor is being sold in large quantities in Gujarat where prohibition is in place.
He alleged that people selling illicit liquor are enjoying political protection and demanded a probe into the “trail” of money generated by selling booze, as per PTI reports.