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Incidentally, the sale and consumption of liquor is banned in Gujarat.
Most of the victims are residents of Majoor Gam neighbourhood, working as casual labourers, and are reported to have consumed the liquor on Sunday night.
The first death was reported around 9 am on Tuesday after a patient was rushed to the V S Hospital, but neither the doctor nor the family members could ascertain the reason for the patient’s deteriorating health. The patient was brought unconscious to the hospital and doctors took it to be a case of heart attack.
Hospital Superintendent Dr H K Makwana said that only after patients began coming in large numbers from the same neighbourhood, complaining of vomiting and stomach-ache, did the relatives get to know that all of them had consumed liquor.
“The major problem was the lack of information and history of these patients, more so as the first patient was brought here in an unconscious condition,” said Dr Makwana.
According to doctors at V S Hospital and L G Hospital, where the patients are being treated, the presence of methyl alcohol (methanol) in the brew led to cardiac toxicity, affecting heart functions.
Dr Nilay Thakore, Associate Professor of Medicine, V S Hospital, who is handling the case, said: Navsar gandhak and fermented fruits are mixed with liquor to prepare the brew. The treatment is to administer 450 ml of ethyl alcohol, which is pure whisky, to the patients. But the survival rates are very slim here.”
N P Chavda, a relative of Manish Makwana (22), one of the patients said: “This has done no good to anyone. Arvind Solanki (the bootlegger) is dead along with his son and nephew, who had also consumed lattha and died after complaining of stomach-ache. These boys used to go to drink every other day.”
A relative of the deceased said: “We had to file a police complaint at night after many people started complaining of vomiting and we got to know that it is a result of liquor consumption.”
The deaths led to rioting when the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) along with the local police came to Majoor Gam around 2 pm to conduct raids on illegal liquor dens. Irate residents started shouting slogans against the police and the Modi government for their alleged inability to enforce prohibition in the state and failure to crack down on illegal liquor dens. Finally, the police had to resort to lathicharge and lob 14 teargas shells after the residents roughed up some policemen and pelted stones on their vans.
“Six people were arrested on the spot on charges of rioting,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone VI, Sachin Badsha.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, DCB, Usha Rada, added: “We seized 40 litres of country-made liquor during the raid.”
Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil visited Majoor Gam and the government hospitals where the victims are being treated. He assured the residents that he will raise the issue in the state Assembly.
The dead include the accused bootlegger Arvind Solanki, his son Pradeep (22), nephew Bhavan (30), Kanti Ahir, Arvind Solanki, Manilal Purbia, Valji Valera, Jetha Marvadi and Pradeep Solanki, Pushottam Revat, Babu Krishna and others.
Purity’ test leads to triple tragedy
Among the 16 who died in the illicit hooch tragedy after consuming spurious liquor on Sunday night, were three members of the accused bootlegger (Arvind Solanki’s) family, including his son Pradeep (22) and nephew Bhavan (30). Arvind Solanki had allegedly brewed the country-made liquor (lattha).
Reportedly, after a few of his customers returned with a complaint that the liquor was not good and was spiked, he consumed it on the spot to prove its authenticity. He also gave the lattha to Pradeep and Bhavan. Later, all three died at the L G Hospital on Tuesday morning after being brought in an unconscious state.
Relatives who had assembled outside the emergency ward of the hospital said that on Sunday night people went to buy lattha from Arvind. One by one people kept purchasing the liquor and drank it, and by the next day, started showing symptoms of cardiac poisoning. As soon as relatives realised that illicit liquor was the reason behind the mass tragedy, a flare-up triggered over the issue, leading to stone-pelting and demonstration.
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It is a farce claiming prohibition of alcohol in Gujarat. The same situation is with law and order in the State of Gujarat. It is not possible to run a brewery making bulk of 'deshi laththa' without a soft corner of police officials. Crime rate is constantly on the rise in Gujarat, rape cases, suicides, bank robberies, murders, thefts, and other illegal activities are common in these days. Prompt attention is required before it worsens.
@Indian, Please look at the points raised by Niranjan more retrospectively. It is a well known fact that prohibition of any sort can not be imposed and expected to succeed. 3 fundamental vices, I am told, viz. wine, woman and gambling are the divine curses on human kind that can not be shaken off by a legal decree. And you talking about crime against women, Ahmadabad being safe in the night are but irrelevant,so is Mumbai also. The story of most poor women or maids working is relevant not only in Mumbai but also in Ahmadabad, are you aware of it? If you say prohibition is working for Gujarat you are like an ostrich, get it? It can not work for any one. Like the story of Jain Food (very big hypocrisy this one), you are bound to have what you want irrespective of the taboos. What one needs is proper upbringing and self control. Anything in excess is a curse. In our country, the politicians do not want certain things to happen, police, judiciary, bureaucracy so well-knit as to let it not.
Dear Indian, are you serious?
Niranjan,Do you know that gujarat is one of the most peaceful states in the country? Do you know that women at 2 in a city as big as ahmedabad can travel alone without problems? did you know that crime against women dropped drastically in Andhra pradesh when naidu had introduced prohibition?Also, what money are you talking about? Do you know that the govt. can huge money in excise if it allows drinking? But that is not the point. Please let gujarat be and keep your silly ideas to yourself. Do you know how many husbands of maid in Mumbai do not work because of addiction to liquor. They are basically playing cards and indulge in nuisance and wife beating.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT GUJRAT POLICE CANNOT IMPLEMENT THE DRY LAWS OF THE STATE, AS IT WOULD REQUIRE MASSIVE EFFORT AND PERSONNEL. WHAT GOOD IS ANY LAW THAT CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED PROPERLY? I WOULD LIKE TO TELL THE PEOPLE IN FAVOUR OF THE DRY LAW THAT MOST OF THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS NO DRY LAWS. DOES IT MEAN THAT THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE LIQUOR FLOWS FREELY ARE GONE CASES? DO THE PEOPLE THEIR DO ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY BELIEVE THE FREEING LIQUOR WOULD DO? INSTEAD OF SPENDING MONEY TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT THE DRY LAW, IT WOULD BE WELL SPENT IF THE MONEY IS USED TO EDUCATE THE EXCESSES OF LIQUOR.