Ahmedabad Hooch tragedy continues to haunt Ahmedabad with two persons dying at the V S Hospital after consuming ‘liquor’ on Wednesday. The police, however, claim that the killer fluid is methanol.

The deceased have been identified as Kamlesh Vaghela (17) and Jayanti Sitapuri (38) — both Class IV employees of V S Hospital. The two had consumed ‘hooch’ in the Sarkhej area of the city in the early hours of Tuesday. Kamlesh, who was admitted on Tuesday morning, was on ventilator till his death this evening.

Jayanti was admitted on Tuesday night, but he was declared dead late on Wednesday.

It was only last week when five people had died in Ahmedabad after consuming ‘chemicals’, while 130 others had died after consuming methanol-laced spurious liquor on July 6.

Mohan Jha, Joint Commissioner of Police, said: “One person consumed pure methanol, while the other had a drink laced with a good amount of methanol. These people generally go to places like Changodhar, Katlal and Mehmedabad. We are trying to tighten the security in those areas.”

Pravin Vaghela, the elder brother of Kamlesh, said: “We had gone together to Sarkhej to drink. We go there often after work. Our supplier used to get a potli (pouch) for Rs 30. That night also we had hooch.”

The families of both Kamlesh and Jayanti stay in the staff quarters of the hospital.

Jayanti’s wife, Meena, said that she had gone with her husband for a Ganesh Chaturthi function at Sarangpur on Tuesday. “He had been complaining of vomiting, giddiness and loss of appetite since Monday night. But his condition worse on Tuesday evening and was admitted in the night,” she said, adding that Jayanti had gone out for some work in the middle of the function and joined back late.

The hospital authorities said the blood and urine samples of the patients showed a sizeable presence of methanol — 36 per cent in Jayanti’s blood sample, while that of Kamlesh showed 17 per cent.

Sandip Singh, Superintendent of Police, Ahmedabad Rural, said, “Our raids are on for the last one week. We have been constantly patrolling in Sarkhej and nearby areas and taking strict action against bootleggers.”

The police raided a hooch den at Aslali and seized 86 boxes containing 89 bottles of illicit liquor today.

Meanwhile, of the four persons admitted to the V S Hospital last week in the methanol consumption case, one Imran alias Ravi died on Monday while one Noor Mohammad Khan (40) died today. Two others have been discharged.

Source: ExpressIndia