Hyderabad: Atleast 18 individuals were hospitalised on Tuesday evening, July 9, in Hyderabad after reportedly drinking adulterated toddy from Kukatpally shops.
The incident came to light after the department started receiving alerts from various hospitals, including one in Kukatpally, with patients complaining of dizziness, diarrhea, and low blood sugar levels.
According to a report by The Hindu, initial investigations revealed that the cases were tied to toddy shops in Kukatpally. The majority of the victims are wage laborers who live in places such as Hyderanagar and Indiranagar and among them was the 78-year-old whose health deteriorated due to underlying conditions after consuming the fake toddy from one of the suspected shops.
A few patients were transferred to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) while two others were transferred to Gandhi Hospital and one to Pratima Hospital for further treatment.
At first, 12 cases had been reported but six others came later looking for treatment with the same symptoms. The authorities observed that not all of them had confirmed drinking toddy.
Authorities seal 3 toddy shops in Hyderabad
The Prohibition and Excise Department has sealed three toddy shops in Hyderanagar, Shamshiguda, and KPHB Colony. Officials suspect that the toddy being sold at these stores could have been laced with sedatives like alprazolam and diazepam.
Samples were sent for analysis, the rest of the stock was destroyed, and the shop owners’ licenses have been suspended.
So far nothing conclusive has been found so far connecting it to the hospitalizations. Lab tests and medical reports are awaited to establish the final cause.
The authorities are still investigating to identify other potential sources of spurious toddy in the area.
