Bhavnagar: At least four people have died and 18 others have been hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, police said. Eight of those admitted are reportedly in critical condition.
The liquor, allegedly brought illegally from Madhya Pradesh and sold under the label of a popular IMFL brand, was consumed during a party in Kharkadi village of Ghogha taluk.
The first death was reported on Tuesday evening, followed by three more. All four deceased are from Bhavnagar district.
Police have arrested four suspected sellers in connection with the incident and formed 16 teams to trace the illegal liquor supply network. Samples of the seized liquor have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination.
The 18 people who fell ill have been admitted to government and private hospitals. Some are undergoing treatment in ICUs, while two patients are on ventilator support. A senior government doctor has been assigned to monitor their treatment.
Meanwhile, Ahmedabad Rural Police has intensified checks to trace the source and transportation route of the illicit liquor. In a separate crackdown involving around 800 personnel, police registered 177 liquor-related cases.
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