Hyderabad, July 9 (IANS) Two persons died and 17 others were taken ill after consuming adulterated toddy in the Kukatpally area of Hyderabad.

While a man succumbed while undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital on Wednesday, a woman died at a private hospital.

Sita Ram (47), a native of Wanaparthy district who was residing in Hydernagar, died at Gandhi Hospital.

Earlier, a woman died at a private hospital. Relatives of Swarupa were preparing to perform her last rites, but police intervened to shift the body to the Gandhi Hospital mortuary for autopsy. She was identified as Swarupa (65).

The affected persons, including four women, were admitted to three different hospitals overnight, and the condition of one of them is stated to be critical.

Officials said 15 people were shifted to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and two to Gandhi Hospital.

These people are believed to have consumed toddy at various shops in Hydernagar in Kukatpally on Sunday and Tuesday. They developed symptoms like low blood sugar, dizziness and diarrhoea. They were initially treated at private hospitals.

As the police and the Prohibition and Excise Department received the information, 12 persons were shifted to NIMS on Tuesday, and the number increased to 18 late in the night. A 78-year-old man is in critical condition.

Officials from the Prohibition and Excise Department have booked five cases against toddy shops in Hyderanagar, Shamshiguda and KPHB Colony. They sealed the shops and seized 674 litres of toddy. The officials collected toddy samples and sent them to the lab for chemical analysis.

Police have arrested five people in connection with the incident.

The Excise Department were keeping a watch at private hospitals in Kukatpally and surrounding areas to find out if people were approaching them with similar symptoms.

Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao visited NIMS Hospital on Wednesday and called on the affected persons. He spoke to doctors about their condition. He later told media persons that stringent action would be taken against those found responsible for adulteration.

Kukatpally MLA Madhavaram Krishna Rao and Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi visited the hospitals to call on the affected persons. They alleged that the negligence of the Prohibition and Excise Department resulted in the incident and demanded stringent action against the guilty.

The MLAs said, despite complaints, the Excise Department officials failed to act to check adulterated toddy. They urged the government to provide all help to the affected persons.

–IANS

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