Spurious liquor claims seven lives

By Our Staff Reporter

KADIRI (ANANTAPUR DIST.), DEC. 29. In a major hooch tragedy in the remote and hilly village of Malameedapalli in Gandlapenta mandal in Anantapur district seven persons died and 13 others were battling for life in hospital on Thursday. The Minister for Excise and Prohibition, Mr. Tummala Nageswara Rao, who air-dashed here from Hyderabad, stated that illicit and spurious arrack being brewed in the area was the reason for the tragedy.

The Government Area Hospital, here, where the seriously-ill persons were being treated and the bodies kept, depicted a pathetic picture with heart-rending cries of the kin of the victims.

The tense situation around the hospital during the Minister's visit even led to a mild caning of the protesters by the police. Some of the relatives of the victims even tried to block the convoy of the Minister, which was on its way to the village by lying themselves across the vehicles.

Another five persons, who had consumed the spurious liquor, were given medical aid in the village by a medical team rushed there. However, the condition and whereabouts of another 25 persons, who are also believed to have consumed the spurious drink, were not known. The Minister stated that about 50 persons of Malameedapalli and a few surrounding villages had reportedly consumed the locally brewed arrack.

According to villagers, the men had drunk the spurious arrack in the weekly fare `santha' in the village.

The liquor was allegedly sold by two persons - Soori and Kumar. Those who drank the liquor had convulsions and loss of consciousness within a couple of hours.

While Messrs Siddappa Naidu (60), sarpanch of neighbouring Rachanepalli in Tanakallu mandal, Y.Kondaiah (40) of Chinnapalli in Tanakallu mandal and K.Vemaiah (45) of Malameedapalli died in the village itself, K.Venkatasivappa Naidu (35) of Rachanepalli, R.Rangappa Naidu (50) of Chinnapalli, K.Obulesu (35) and T.Venkatappa (50) of Malameedapalli died immediately on admission to the hospital.

Those whose condition was serious were Messrs Venkata Naidu (40), Yellappa (40), Basha (40), Ch.Nagi Reddy (50), working as a VDO in Yadiki mandal, Uthanna (45), Khadervali (70), Venkataiah (30), Akkulappa (45), Venkatarama (50) and four others. The Minister for Prohibition and Excise directed the officials to send the medical teams to the surrounding villages to prevent any further casualties.

The Minister further stated that the both the Commissioner and Director of Prohibition and Excise would camp at Kadiri to inquire into the tragedy and fix the responsibility. Action would be taken against the officials, based on the inquiry report.

As the deceased were not eligible for ex-gratia payment the kin of poor among them would be benefited under the National Family Benefit Scheme, housing schemes and free education.

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Section  : Southern States
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