One dies, over 24 take ill after drinking country liquor

Vadodara: One person died while over two dozen others were taken ill after they allegedly consumed country-made liquor at Khandiyana village in Chhota Udepur district on May 1. The ill patients were treated at different health centres.
The patients were taken to community health centre after they complained of vomiting and loose motions. The deceased was identified as Gordhan Bhil.
“About 28 of us had consumed liquor in Khandiyana village. After that all of us took ill and were taken to different health centres,” said one of the affected persons Vijaysinh Chauhan.
Doctors at the health centre in Naswadi said that the patients who got admitted there had consumed alcohol. “The symptoms were that of dehydration, but they had mentioned that their troubles started after they consumed country-made liquor,” said Dr Vishal Tadvi of Naswadi. However, he added that the patients’ blood samples were not collected and the autopsy on the deceased was not conducted.
When contacted, Chauhan told TOI that it was only after consuming alcohol that he and others started complaining of vomiting and loose motions. “There were others as well from Bhakha and Khandiyana village who complained of illness, but they were taken to other private hospital,” he said.
The police, however, denied that Bhil died after liquor consumption. “The doctors stated that they were dehydrated due to extreme heat,” said superintendent of Chhota Udepur police M S Bhabhor.