Bhavnagar: Two more people have died after consuming methanol-laced spurious liquor in Bhavnagar district, taking the death toll in Gujarat’s latest hooch tragedy to 13, while three to five patients remain under treatment, officials said Sunday.
Bhavnagar District Collector Manish Kumar Bansal said Mukesh Manilal Damor, 36, died late Saturday night, while Bhargav Upadhyay, 42, was declared dead this morning.
The deaths have come as the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) continues its investigation into the manufacture and distribution of the toxic liquor.
The SMC has arrested 13 of the 21 people named as accused in the First Information Report registered at Vartej Police Station.
A local court has remanded the arrested accused in police custody until September 1. Investigators are also looking for suspects believed to have travelled from Madhya Pradesh to Bhavnagar to prepare the illicit liquor.
Sources said Narendrasinh Yadav alias Doctor, 47, who is believed to have helped brew the batch, was among those who died after consuming the liquor. Yadav was a resident of Indore.
A seized bottle containing the suspected liquor was found to have 38.59 per cent methanol, according to the investigation.
The SMC is attempting to locate other accused believed to be from Madhya Pradesh and is seeking transit warrants to bring those detained there to Gujarat, sources said. Further arrests are expected.
Inspector General Gagandeep Gambhir of the SMC reached Bhavnagar on Saturday as part of the continuing investigation. The tragedy came to light after several people fell ill following consumption of liquor at gatherings in and around Kharakdi village in Ghogha taluka in mid-August.
Police subsequently found that the liquor had been sold in bottles carrying stickers resembling the ‘Royal Stag’ brand.
The police investigation has alleged that the liquor was brought from outside Gujarat, adulterated and distributed through a wider network.
The SMC has seized duplicate liquor bottles, chemicals and colours allegedly used to prepare counterfeit liquor, along with stickers, caps, sticker rolls, cardboard and other material.
The 21 accused named in the FIR have been booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Gujarat Prohibition Act.
Investigators are examining the procurement, preparation, transportation and distribution of the liquor and attempting to trace the remaining members of the alleged network.
The deaths recorded so far are Upendrasinh Chandrasinh Gohil, 25; Narendrasinh Yadav alias Doctor, 47; Kartik Ashwin Makwana, 40; Kanaksinh Hanubha Gohil, 37; Ghanshyamsinh Jaypalsinh Jadeja, 49; Hitesh Dileep Parmar, 42; Jayesh Jitu Bhatti, 35; Sudhir Kalu Rawal, 40; Hardik Haresh Kilji, 36; Avinash Kanti Parmar, 54; Sanjay Lakshman Dodiya of Surat; Mukesh Manilal Damor, 36; and Bhargav Upadhyay, 42.
Police and the district administration have urged anyone who may have consumed the suspected liquor to seek medical attention immediately.
The investigation into the source and wider distribution of the methanol-laced liquor remains underway.
