Spurious toddy leaves 15 ill

Fifteen people, including four women and a girl child, fell ill after consuming toddy in Pochampally village of Gurrampode mandal in the district on Sunday morning.

Two of them were down with severe complications while others who were treated at the District Hospital were out of danger, hospital authorities said.

Most of the victims were agriculture labourers belonging to three families in the village. They consumed toddy while returning from work on Saturday and soon vomited and showed signs of diarrhoea.

Their condition did not stabilise even after receiving medical attention at the nearby primary health centre, and were taken to the District Hospital on Sunday. On coming to know of the situation, District Collector Gaurav Uppal rushed to the hospital, interacted with the victims, and instructed doctors to shift those showing severe complications to Hyderabad. Five of the victims were discharged by noon as they were out of danger while others were still kept under observation.

Mr. Uppal, while cautioning people of spurious drinks in the market in wake of summer, instructed Excise officials to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Later in the day, the police took into custody one K. Yadaiah, a toddy-tapper in the same village who allegedly sold the drink to the victims.