At least 18 people died and several are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Gujarat after the consumption of the illicit spurious alcohol.
More than 20 people are now under treatment in the hospitals of Botad, Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Eighteen people have died allegedly after consuming fraudulent illicit alcohol on Monday and this number could increase as well since their condition is quite serious and critical.
The manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor is banned in Gujarat.
A person who buys, consumes, or serves alcohol without a permit can be arrested under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, formerly known as the Bombay Prohibition Act of 1949, and face a sentence of three months to five years in prison. It also makes carrying alcohol illegal.
The deaths occurred in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad and Botad districts’ villages
Cases began to appear from Rojid village, which is in Botad’s Barwala taluka. Many people started raising complaints regarding their health and other complications.Â
The three illegal sellers of the fraudulent country made-alcohol are detained by the police as informed by Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) Ashish Bhatia.
According to sources with the Ahmedabad Rural Police, there were three casualties brought on by the consumption of spurious alcohol in the villages of Aakru, Aniyari, and Oonchdi in the Dhandhuka taluka. All victims had visited Nabhoi village in Botad district and bought locally manufactured alcohol, according to an official.
The State government has mandated an investigation into the occurrence, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police and along with that Anti-Terrorsim Squad (ATS) have been established for the investigation.
Police officials confirmed 8 deaths in Botad and eight in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
The incident has once again highlighted the harsh realities of state-wide prohibition, where the illegal booze trade is thriving in rural areas.
Another point to be noted is that most dead persons are labourers.
The village sarpanch of Rojind mentioned that he has earlier taken the matter to the local police about the uncontrollably selling of alcohol but no action was taken.
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