Nizamabad: The death toll from adulterated toddy rose to three in Nizamabad district on Monday. Around 300 persons including women have been admitted in the Government General Hospital in Nizamabad, government area hospitals and private hospitals with ‘toddy withdrawal symptoms’.
Unconfirmed reports said that a 50 year-old person in Armoor also died from toddy withdrawal symptoms. Meanwhile, the victims were admitted to hospitals in Nizamabad, Bodhan, Banswada, Kamareddy and Armoor towns.
Following raids by the excise department on toddy shops for the last few days, toddy traders stopped the mixing of chemicals in toddy, which is causing health problems among addicts. It is an open secret that dangerous chemicals like Alphazolam, chloral hydrate, urea and other ingredients are used to prepare artificial toddy.
Shockingly, labourers and government employees including policemen are also addicted to adulterated toddy in the district. Drinking of toddy is a traditional habit in Telangana for centuries and taking this as an advantage, the traders’ adulterate the toddy on a large scale. Politicians are backing the errant toddy traders to continue their business.
Toddy depots regularly pay bribes to a section of excise, police officials, caste organisation, political parties, peoples’ organisations and few media personnel also. These sections have always protected the interests of the illegal toddy business, which has become a serious problem in TS districts.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Government Medical College, Nizamabad professor Dr A.Vishal said that the toddy victims were recovering. Due to unusual behaviour, a few patients were tied with ropes in the wards, he said. Addiction to adulterated toddy badly affects the people physically and mentally, he explained.
Prohibition and excise deputy commissioner P.Arun Rao said that they are conducting a special drive on toddy shops to prevent adulteration. “We registered cases against toddy shop organisers and Toddy Cooperative Societies,” he said. Excise department is coordinating with medical and health department to provide medical treatment for the toddy addicts, he said. The deceased were identified as Shanker, Narayana of Vinayaknagar in Nizamabad and Gangone Chinnaiah of Kalladi village in Makloor mandal.