Gujarat Hooch Tragedy: 2 SPs Transferred, 6 Police Officers Suspended After 42 Die To Spurious Liquor Consumption

A primary investigation has revealed that some small-time bootleggers including a woman from different villages in Botad had made the spurious liquor by mixing water with methyl alcohol (methanol), which is highly poisonous, and sold it to villagers for Rs 20 per pouch, as per a First Information Report (FIR) registered in the incident.

Ahmedabad: The Superintendents of Police of Botad and Ahmedabad districts were transferred while six other cops were suspended after 42 people died in Gujarat due to the consumption of spurious liquor. “We have transferred Botad SP Karanraj Vaghela and Ahmedabad SP Virendrasingh Yadav. Six police officials, including two Deputy SPs, a circle police inspector, a police inspector and two sub-inspectors, have been put under suspension,” Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Raj Kumar told PTI.

At least 42 people from Botad and neighbouring Ahmedabad district have died so far after consuming spurious liquor in Botad on July 25, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said on Wednesday. At least 97 people were still admitted to hospitals in Bhavnagar, Botad and Ahmedabad, he had said.

What Does The Prima Facie Say?

A primary investigation has revealed that some small-time bootleggers including a woman from different villages in Botad had made the spurious liquor by mixing water with methyl alcohol (methanol), which is highly poisonous, and sold it to villagers for Rs 20 per pouch, as per a First Information Report (FIR) registered in the incident.

Blood samples of the deceased confirmed that they had consumed methanol, Gujarat Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia told reporters in Gandhinagar.

Three FIRs have been registered against at least 14 main culprits under Indian Penal Code Sections 302 (murder), 328 (causing hurt by poison) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and most of them have been detained.