At least 11 people have died and about a dozen taken sick after they consumed spurious liquor across the State. This includes four people in Ahmedabad district and seven in Botad district in Saurashtra, Botad and Ahmedabad districts share their borders. Police suspect the source of the spurious liquor could be the same. Postmortem reports are awaited. The Gujarat government has ordered a probe. The incident came to light on Monday evening as similar death patterns were observed. All the deceased and those who have taken sick consumed liquor at Rojid village in Botad district. They consumed the liquor on Monday morning.
In a surprising move, a team from Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) reached the liquor tragedy venue even as investigating cops questioned about the jurisdiction and need of ATS in this matter.
It must be noted that J.D. Dungrani, sarpanch of Rojid village had been regularly sending letters to the Barvada Police Station pleading that the local police should take immediate and stringent action against rowdies selling and consuming liquor in the village. His latest letter was just last month on March 4, 2022. The letter whose copy is with Vibes of India reads: There is uncontrolled, unsupervised sale of liquor in our village which has created an atmosphere of fear amongst all those who do not sale or consume this country made liquor. After consuming liquor rowdies and anti-social elements eve tease women and behave inappropriately with young girls in the village. This is an anti-social activity that has been going on in the village and if this is not stopped urgently by you people in position of power; we fear a big untoward, undesirable incident in this small village very soon.
We request you to strictly implement prohibition in our village and to start police patrolling to stop this anti-social activity.
Botad DSP Karanraj Vaghela and his team have detained a woman bootlegger and her accomplices. The woman is believed to be running her monopoly desi daru adda in the village. Initially, she refused to believe that her den had sold spurious liquor. Ironically, there is a prohibition in Gujarat and any sale, distribution or consumption of liquor attracts stringent police action. However, not only is liquor easily available in Gujarat; it is believed that bootleggers and police are hand in glove and run huge liquor empires. Medical teams from Bhavnagar have been dispatched to Botad.
Congress leader from the region Manhar Patel sent an email to Botad DSP Karanraj Vaghela and Barvada Mamlatdar asking Vaghela, an IPS officer to look into the matter seriously. Manhar quoted the Sarpanch’s letter to the PSI and emphasised that no action had been initiated by the PSI. He sought the DSPs intervention. But unfortunately, nothing was done since last 100 days.
A top police source told Vibes of India that though official death figures are yet to be confirmed, they were certain that at least 11 have died so far after consuming the spurious liquor. Sources added that DIG Bhavnagar Range Ashokkumar Yadav visited the village and has begun an investigation. Our sources tell us that a few cops could be suspended by Tuesday evening once the police establish their connection with the woman bootlegger. It must be noted that the Gujarat police have not yet officially declared that these deaths have been because of the consumption of spurious liquor known as lathho in Gujarati.The opposition has found this a good reason to attack the ruling BJP.
Senior AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said “there is prohibition in Gujarat but there is much illegal alcohol available in Gujarat. Who are those who sell this illegal and spurious liquor? The ones who sell are blessed with government protection. Where does the money go? The spurious liquor case of Gujarat should be investigated”, he said.
Congress spokesman Manish Doshi said the epicentre of corruption in Gujarat is the Home Department. With kind blessings from the Home Department, lacs of litres of illegal liquor is daily sold and even manufactured in Gujarat. Doshi said the money trail and the real culprits should be caught. Not just few bootleggers and low level cops. Gujarat has a tainted history of deaths due to spurious liquor. But because of nexus between politicians, bootleggers and police, no concrete action is taken.
