The death toll in the Botad-Ahmedabad hooch tragedy has risen to 42, with 32 deaths in Botad and 10 in Ahmedabad rural, according to Gujarat Police, even as state ministers urged victims to come out of “hiding” and “take treatment without fear.”
Speaking at a press conference in Gandhinagar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law and Order Narsimha Komar said, ‘The death toll has risen to 42 with 10 in Ahmedabad rural and 32 in Botad, while 97 are admitted to various hospitals. Three FIRs have been lodged in the case and we have arrested 15 persons, including the chief conspirator.’
State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Gujarat Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia were also present at the press conference. Several agencies such as the police, state monitoring cell, Gujarat ATS and Ahmedabad Crime Branch are jointly probing the incident.
‘Investigation has revealed that only 50 litres of the chemical consignment had reached the victims through the retail distribution network which resulted in the deaths. We have also organised a special drive to crack down on bootleggers in every district,’ said Komar.
Expressing ‘great pain’ as a citizen and ‘sympathising’ with the victims and families, Sanghavi said, ‘The staff of an Ahmedabad-based chemical company had stolen 600 litres of poisonous chemical and sold it in different villages in Botad. We have formed over 30 teams with 2,500 police personnel to conduct raids in villages and farmlands in Ahmedabad and Botad to look for possible victims.’
Admitting that there is a sense of fear among people to seek help, Sanghavi said the victims found by police were admitted to hospital for immediate treatment. ‘We also ensured that there were enough dialysis machines in these hospitals even as the patients increased,’ said Sanghavi.
‘We have arrested 314 bootleggers under the prevention of anti-social activities (PASA) Act,’ he added.
State Education Minister Jitu Vaghani, also the spokesperson of the Gujarat government, said the first priority of the government was to ensure medical treatment to those affected.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, he said, ‘Those who have consumed the intoxicant are being traced and taken (to hospitals) by health and police department… some people have fled even from there.’
‘It is my request that nobody is required to fear (anything). Those (affected) are being treated… Some people have fled to farms, some people are hiding… it is not required. It is the priority (of the government) that they get treatment and do not die. And for that, the state government is doing door-to-door survey,’ Vaghani added.
Vaghani also said that an inquiry panel of three officials is being headed by an IPS officer of ‘clean image’, Subhash Trivedi. He added that after the inquiry, action will be taken against the culprits.