HYDERABAD(India) 2 January : Tragedy struck several tribal families in the coastal Andhra district of Krishna on the eve of the New Year when at least 17 persons, including three women died after consuming country-made liquor.The toll in Krishna district climbed to 16 since Saturday evening, while one person died in Nalgonda district on Sunday. The incident, coming close on the heels of the horrific hooch tragedy in West Bengal which has so far claimed 171 lives, occurred at Poratanagar in Krishna district. The victims, belonging to nearby tribal hamlets, had consumed the country-made liquor late on Saturday evening and immediately complained of giddiness. They were rushed to hospitals in Mylavaram and Vijayawada but 10 of them died on new year’s eve. Six more tribals succumbed to the hooch on Sunday with another eight still battling for their lives. According to doctors treating the victims, methyl alcohol must have been mixed with the liquor consumed by the tribals which led to the tragedy. Samples of the liquor have been sent to Hyderabad for chemical analysis.
While relatives of the victims staged a protest outside the hospital demanding compensation, Telugu Desam Party leader D Umamaheswara Rao joined the kith and kin of the victims and staged a protest at the Excise Office in Mylavaram, demanding action against the guilty and compensation of Rs1 million each to the families of the victims. Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana ordered a judicial probe into the incident. He also ordered suspension of a circle inspector and a sub-inspector of Mylavaram’s Excise Department.
While relatives of the victims staged a protest outside the hospital demanding compensation, Telugu Desam Party leader D Umamaheswara Rao joined the kith and kin of the victims and staged a protest at the Excise Office in Mylavaram, demanding action against the guilty and compensation of Rs1 million each to the families of the victims. Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana ordered a judicial probe into the incident. He also ordered suspension of a circle inspector and a sub-inspector of Mylavaram’s Excise Department.