Ahmedabad: As of Wednesday evening today, 40 people have died due to the consumption of spurious liquor made from highly poisonous methyl alcohol in Gujarat, the authorities informed on Wednesday.

About 50 people are still admitted to hospitals in Bhavnagar, Botad and Ahmedabad.

Hooch tragedy struck the state on Monday morning when some people living in Rojid village of Botad and neighbouring villages were referred to government hospitals in Barvala town and Botad area.

On Tuesday, three First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against nearly 20 culprits for murder, poisoning, and criminal conspiracy under Sections 302 (murder), 328 (causing hurt by poison), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Ten people have been arrested so far.

Range IG of Bhavnagar, SP of Botad, SP of Ahmedabad Rural and Range IG of Ahmedabad Rural and the ATS team led by Deepan Bhadran are investigating the matter.

According to police, forensic analysis has established that the victims consumed methyl alcohol.

The Gujarat Home Department has formed a three-member committee, headed by senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Subhash Trivedi, to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident and submit a report within three days, as per a government release.

According to the police investigation, Jayesh aka Raju stole 600 litres of methyl alcohol from a godown in Ahmedabad where he worked as a manager and sold it for Rs 40,000 to his Botad-based cousin Sanjay who later sold the chemical to bootleggers of different villages of Botad.

The bootleggers mixed water with the chemical and sold it to people as country liquor, police said.

DeshGujarat