Botad/Ahmedabad: In what is considered a major embarrassment to the Gujarat Government, hooch claimed 25 lives in this ‘dry’ State today. While 40 victims were fighting for their lives at a hospital in Bhavnagar, 14 others were admitted to Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital. A few more were reportedly taken to private hospitals.
Out of the 31 who were killed by drinking illicit liquor,24 were killed in Botad district, while 7 were in Ahmedabad district.
Earlier reports said of the deceased, 16 were from Barwala taluka, 6 from Dhandhuka, (both in Ahmedabad district) two from Ranpur in Botad district, and one from Chuda in Surendranagar district.
At least 11 of the deceased belonged to the Rojid village of Botad district. 30 of those who are fighting for their lives too belonged to the same village.
Three separate FIRs were filed in this case – one each in Barwala, Dhanduka and Ranpur, and police arrested 8 accused in Barwala, and one accused in Dhandhuka.
The incident yet again exposes the sale of illicit liquor in the State which implements complete prohibition ever since its formation on May 1, 1960.
Value of illicit liquor seized during Indian Lok Sabha elections in May 2019, by state and union territory (in million Indian rupees)
Often there are reports of bootlegging and sale of illicit liquor in the State. Ahead of the 2017 State Assembly elections, the Election Commission appointed surveillance and expenditure monitoring teams had confiscated liquor valued at Rs 23.80 crore from the dry state until December 12, 2017. On December 9, 2017, it confiscated 8.7 lakh litres of liquor including 75,968 bottles of IMFL intended for distribution ahead of the Gujarat Assembly Election 2017.
The ECI figures of the 2019 General Elections showed that booze was on the rise and by phase 2 of the Lok Sabha Elections, a total of 3.69 lakh litre of liquor (worth Rs 10.7 crore) was already seized from Gujarat.
Hooch tragedy is not new to Gujarat either. In July 2009 136 people died in Behrampura, Ahmedabad from alcohol poisoning after consuming bootleg liquor.
As recently as in January 2022, liquor worth Rs 240 crore was seized in State.
In 2019, five petitions, including Public Interest Litigation (PIL), have been filed before the Gujarat High Court challenging the prohibition law in the state. Most petitioners raised concern that the prohibition law violates the Right to Privacy and sought relaxation on consumption in privacy. As of January 2022, at least seven petitions were pending in the Gujarat High Court challenging the prohibition legislation.
Top photo: Mass cremation of hooch victims at Botad district’s Rojid village.
– global bihari bureau
