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.