As the price of alcohol in the State-run liquor outlets skyrockets, guzzlers have started taking to cheaper alternatives and the regular sanitiser used as a cleaning and disinfecting agent becomes a deadly replacement.
The mandal headquarters town of Pendlimarri in Kadapa district woke up to a rude shock last Monday when P. Obulesu (58) breathed his last after consuming a hand sanitiser, as alcohol became unavailable. He was part of a group that had reportedly taken to drinking sanitisers diluted with water on a regular basis.
The insatiable craving to get a high ‘at any cost’ is making habitual drinkers lose their common sense and consume things that are known to take lives. Says Superintendent of Police K.K.N. Anburajan, talking to The Hindu, "People getting addicted to sanitisers should understand that they are taking ‘slow poison’. They should know that it is not the regular alcohol sold across the counter in liquor outlets."
Raids
Meanwhile, officials of the Police and Prohibition and Excise Departments, with a drug control team in tow, conducted raids on godowns where locally-made sanitisers were illegally stored for distribution. Only licence holders are authorised to manufacture sanitisers. "Only permitted manufacturers are authorised to produce and store it. The sale should have proper supporting documents and vouchers for future inspection, else they will face action under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code," Mr. Anburajan warns.
"The government should consider other methods to positively wean away alcoholics from the habit, else such extreme responses are bound to occur," cautions counselling psychologist N.B. Sudhakar Reddy.