Spurious liquor kills 5 in Andhra Pradesh

Five persons were killed and seven others are battling for life after consuming adulterated liquor at a bar in Krishna Lanka of Vijayawada on Monday.

In all, of the 34 residents of Nehrunagar and Ranadevnagar of Krishna Lanka, 29 are undergoing treatment in private hospitals in city. All the victims are dailywage workers.

Condition of three out of seven who are put on ventilators is serious, according to district collector Babu A.All the victims had consumed cheap liquor at Swarna Bar of a hotel in Krishna Lanka at around 10 am on Monday. Three of them collapsed on the spot and died. Two others died while being rushed to the government General Hospital.

Chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a thorough inquiry into the issue and asked officials to ensure proper health care for the victims.

Additional DG (law and order) R.P. Thakur, who visited the victims at GGH, said, “We are probing the cause of death. It appears prima facie that it is spurious liquor.”

Police commissioner D. Gautam Sawang, who visited GGH and the bar, said that special teams had been formed for investigation. He said the bar owners had violated basic norms.

Excise minister Kollu Ravindra said it was the adulterated liquor that killed the persons and the shop had been seized. “Liquor samples have been sent for tests,” he said.

MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao demanded a high-level probe into the incident and punishment for everyone behind the adulteration. He alleged the bar belonged to Congress leader Malladi Vishnu.

The dead were identified as Narasa Gopi, Meesala Mahesh, M.B.B.V Nancharayya, Akula Vijay Kumar and Munagala Shankar.