Assam hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 69

Assam hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 69

GUWAHATI: The number of deaths in the hooch tragedy in Assam tea garden increased to 69 with at least 32 more deaths reported on Saturday.

According to health department officials, 50 deaths were reported in Golaghat and 19 in neighbouring Jorhat district.

Health minister Himants Biswa Sarma who visited the victims in hospital said at least 200 others, who fell ill after allegedly consuming spurious liquor on Thursday evening are still admitted in hospitals. The number of deaths could further go up.

Four workers belonging to Halmira tea estate in Golaghat district, who were rushed to a local government hospital died around 7.30pm on Thursday.

"All of them were admitted in drunken state and so we suspect that the country liquor they consumed contained poisonous substance like methyl," a health department official said.

Drinking of country liquor is rampant among tea garden workers, who constitute nearly 20% of the state's total population. Garden workers said some livestock feed items are mixed to prepare the country liquor and this could have poisoned the liquor. The practice continues in the gardens despite many drives against country liquor.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered an inquiry into the incident, while the excise department launched a crackdown against production and sale of country liquor inside tea gardens. Sonowal held a meeting with senior officials here on Saturday morning and took stock of the situation.

The health minister said additional doctors were being rushed from Dibrugarh, Guwahati and Tezpur medical colleges for better treatment of the victims.

General secretary of All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam, Deben Orang blamed the state excise department for its failure to check rampant use of country liquor, particularly in tea gardens.

Jorhat MP (BJP), Kamakhya Prasad Tasa said a crackdown has been launched against a racket using cattle feed items in the preparation of country liquor and their sale in tea gardens.

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