The death toll in the suspected methanol-laced liquor tragedy in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district has risen to nine, with one more death reported after the state government confirmed eight deaths on Friday, August 21.
The tragedy came to light earlier this week after several people fell seriously ill following the consumption of suspected spurious liquor. The incident has triggered a police investigation, arrests and suspensions of police personnel over alleged negligence.
On Friday, August 21, senior Gujarat minister and state government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani visited Bhavnagar Civil Hospital and confirmed that eight people had died. He said 29 affected people had been traced by the police and provided medical examination and treatment.
Since then, one more death has been reported, taking the toll to nine as of August 22.
How the tragedy unfolded
The incident came to light around August 18, when reports emerged that people in and around Bhavnagar had fallen ill after consuming methanol-contaminated liquor.
Among those who died was Narendrasinh Yadav alias “Doctor”, who was involved in brewing the liquor. He died on August 18.
Another victim was Hitesh Parmar, a school teacher, whose body was found slumped beside his bed. A bottle of the suspected spurious liquor was found near him.
The deaths and illnesses prompted authorities to trace people who may have consumed the liquor and shift them to hospitals for medical examination and treatment.
Government confirms eight deaths on August 21
Three days after the tragedy came to light, Jitu Vaghani visited Bhavnagar Civil Hospital on August 21. He met patients undergoing treatment and expressed condolences to the families of those who had died.
In the first official statement from the Gujarat government on the incident, Vaghani said the government was taking the matter seriously and had ordered strict action against those responsible. At that point, the government confirmed eight deaths.
Vaghani said the police and administration had acted after receiving information about the incident and had worked to locate affected people, shift them to hospitals and arrange medical treatment.
The government said that at the time, 19 people were undergoing treatment, while 16 had been discharged after receiving treatment.
The police had located 29 people who were believed to have been affected and ensured that they underwent medical examination and received necessary treatment.
Death toll rises to nine
After the government’s August 21 confirmation of eight deaths, one more person has died, taking the death toll to nine as of August 22.
The latest death adds to growing concern over the scale of the tragedy and the spread of the suspected contaminated liquor.
The case remains under investigation, with authorities trying to establish exactly how the liquor was prepared, distributed and consumed, and who was responsible for the deaths and illnesses.
Surat man declared brain dead
The tragedy has also affected a family in Surat.
Sanjay Dodiya, 35, a father of two young children originally from Bhavnagar, was declared brain dead at INS Hospital in Khatodara, Surat, on the afternoon of August 21 after his condition deteriorated.
Dodiya is employed with an institution in Surat. He had travelled to Bhavnagar on August 15, while his wife and two young children stayed in Surat.
According to his family, Dodiya returned to Surat on August 17 after attending a gathering in Bhavnagar where the suspected liquor was allegedly consumed.
After reaching home, he developed serious health problems. His wife took him to a private hospital in Varachha and contacted his elder brother Rajesh Dodiya, who lives in Vadodara, asking him to come to Surat.
Rajesh said Sanjay appeared to be intoxicated when he returned home on August 17. He remained under treatment at the private hospital for a couple of days, but his condition did not improve.
As his health worsened, the family sought advice from relatives in Surat and shifted him to INS Hospital, Khatodara.
On ventilator support before being declared brain dead
According to a doctor at INS Hospital, Sanjay had been on ventilator support since Wednesday, August 19.
His condition deteriorated further on Friday afternoon, August 21, when doctors declared him brain dead.
His brother Rajesh said the family would discuss the situation with doctors before deciding on the next steps, including whether Sanjay’s organs could be donated.
Rajesh also said Sanjay frequently travelled to Bhavnagar to attend social and religious events and meet friends.
Khatodara police inspector N V Bharwad said police teams had been sent to the hospital to speak with Sanjay’s family. He confirmed that Sanjay had travelled to Bhavnagar and became unwell after returning to Surat.
Police action and arrests
The investigation is being handled by the State Monitoring Cell (SMC), Gujarat’s specialised agency responsible for enforcing the state’s prohibition laws. The FIR registered at Vartej police station names 21 accused.
By Friday, August 21, 13 accused had been arrested. The same day, the SMC made another arrest, taking the total number of arrests to 14.
The latest accused, Md Raees, was apprehended in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and brought to Bhavnagar. He was produced before a local court on Friday, which granted the SMC nine days of remand for further investigation.
The alleged main brewer, Narendrasinh Yadav alias “Doctor”, died on August 18.
With his death and 14 arrests, six of the 21 accused named in the FIR remained to be arrested, according to the investigation details available on Friday.
Authorities have also obtained remand of arrested accused as they investigate the wider conspiracy and the supply chain behind the suspected liquor.
Seven police personnel suspended
The incident has also raised questions about police action and alleged negligence. Vaghani said the preliminary investigation had revealed police negligence.
As a result, seven police personnel, including two inspectors, were suspended from service. The government has said strict action will be taken against anyone found responsible.
Vaghani also said police action had begun immediately after the incident was reported, on the instructions of Deputy Chief Minister Harshabhai Sanghavi, who handles the Home portfolio.
Sanghavi had not issued a statement on the incident as of Friday. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was in the United States on a business tour.
Bottles with the same barcode found
Another important development came from the investigation into the suspected liquor itself.
On August 20, the State Monitoring Cell warned people about bottles of a particular whisky brand carrying a specific barcode.
Investigators found that the victims had consumed liquor from bottles carrying the same barcode: 8901522000665
The bottles were identified as IMFL — Indian-Made Foreign Liquor. Some of the seized bottles were found to contain contaminated liquor.
The discovery is particularly notable because Gujarat has been under prohibition since 1960, meaning the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcohol are generally prohibited in the state.
Authorities have warned people to stay away from the suspected bottles and are investigating how they reached consumers.
Government promises strict action
During his visit to Bhavnagar Civil Hospital on August 21, Vaghani said the government stood with the families of those who had died.
He said the incident had been taken seriously and that clear instructions had been issued for strict action against those responsible.
The government has also said that the police and administration are continuing efforts to identify people who may have consumed the suspected liquor and ensure that they receive medical attention.
With the death toll now reaching nine on August 22, the investigation is continuing into the source of the methanol, the people involved in preparing and distributing the liquor, and the alleged lapses that allowed the incident to occur.
The authorities are also trying to trace the remaining accused and establish the full chain of events that led to the deaths and hospitalisation of several people.
Also Read: Bhavnagar Tragedy Triggers Crackdown: Ahmedabad Liquor Cases Jump 212% https://www.vibesofindia.com/ahmedabad-liquor-crackdown-cases-rise-212-percent/
