At least 15 persons have died in the last one week after allegedly consuming hooch at Vareli village in Surat following which both the district administration and police have launched a probe.
The state government has not officially termed the incident as a hooch tragedy and referred to it as “unnatural death”.
At least 15 persons have died unnatural death in Surat during last one week.Government Statement
Following the deaths, Surat Collector, Mahendra Patel had asked the District Development Officer (DDO) and his staff, including a team of health officials, to visit the village.
A government official said the exact cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained, though methanol poisoning has not been ruled out.
The Forensic Science Laboratory at Gandhinagar examined the viscera and other samples of the deceased, meanwhile, a three-member committee was formed on Saturday, by the government to probe the issue.
The panel, headed by ADGP (police reforms) VM Pargi, met some of the victims at Surat civil hospital.
It is too early to term these deaths as hooch tragedy.It’s a matter of investigation whether these villagers have died due to spurious liquor.Ganpat Vasava, State Tribal Development Minister, Gujarat
However, local Congress MLA, Anand Chaudhary claimed that the government is hiding facts from people.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)