Over 100 dead, many hospitalised in India liquor tragedy
NEW DELHI, February 23, 2019
More than 100 people, mostly tea estate workers, were killed after drinking toxic bootleg alcohol in the north-eastern state of Assam in India. Of the dead, atleast 25 were women, said a report, citing senior officials.
The deaths occurred in Upper Assam’s Golaghat and Jorhat districts.
According to official sources, 59 of those who died were from Golaghat while the remaining 43 were from Jorhat. At least 25 women were among the dead.
The first incident was reported from Salmara Tea Estate. Two Excise officers have been suspended with immediate effect. Two people involved in making country liquor have been arrested, reported PTI.
One-man commission has been formed to conduct an inquiry into the incident. Upper Assam Commissioner Julie Sonowal will conduct an inquiry and submit the report within 30 days.
Several women are among the victims, who all worked on tea plantations in Assam state.
The deaths come days after tainted spirits killed about 100 people in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. An inquiry has been ordered into the tragedy.
Golaghat district Superintendent of Police Pushkar Singh told BBC that police had found the home where the toxic liquor was made and had recovered one and a half litres of it.
Doctors at the hospitals where the victims are being treated are baffled by the ingredients used in the illegal alcohol, which is causing organ failure.
An expert team from the city of Guwahati is on its way to analyse the mixture and investigate its contents.
"The people came to the hospital with severe vomiting, extreme chest pain and breathlessness," Dr Ratul Bordoloi, joint director of Golaghat's health department, told AFP.
One worker who is undergoing treatment at Golaghat Hospital said he had been at a tea plantation on Thursday.
"I had bought half a litre of wine and drank it before eating. Initially, everything was normal, but after some time my head started hurting. The headache grew so much that I could not eat or sleep," he added.
He felt restless until the morning, and started getting chest pain. His wife then took him to the tea plantation hospital, and he was referred to the district hospital, said the report.
