Telangana High Court registers suo motu PIL as 3 die after consuming illicit toddy

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice N Tukaramji, issued notices to the Principal Secretary and the Secretary (Prohibition and Excise), deputy commissioner, Prohibition and Excise, Mahbubnagar, directing them to respond to notices by August 28 furnishing reasons leading to death of three persons and deterioration of health of 42 others after they consumed adulterated toddy.

The court was adjudicating the taken up public interest litigation by converting a news item published in a Telugu daily dated April 13 this year “katsina KalthiKallu”

Chintakunta Anil Kumar, a social activist of Mahbubnagar addressed a letter to the CJ annexing a copy of the news item which highlighted the incident in which more than 43 fell ill after they consumed illicit prepared toddy.

The counsel for the petitioner informed the court that after consuming toddy three persons died; condition of one woman was critical. After the deaths a minister visited the Mahbubnagar government hospital and issued a statement that, as per the doctor’s version, toddy was not the cause of death; a lab report will divulge the reason for three deaths and ill-health of others who were hospitalised. However, samples of the deceased were sent to lab for ascertaining whether the cause of death was consumption of toddy.

The counsel told the court that there were allegations that the management of the toddy shop clandestinely met the 42 persons who were hospitalised and tried to hush up the case registered against the shop by offering them money, which has to be investigated. After issuing notices, the court directed the State to respond by August 28. Hearing in the case was adjourned to August 28.