Hyderabad: At least six persons died, and 17 others were hospitalised after they consumed on Monday toddy that is believed to have been adulterated in the Kukatpally area. The condition of the patients admitted to NIMS and other hospitals was stated to be ‘stable’.

After the flurry of hospitalisations, the state government on Wednesday directed the excise officials to send samples of the toddy in question to the lab for chemical tests and decided to conduct regular checks at toddy shops in the city.

The deceased are from HMT Hills' Saicharank Colony in Kukatpally. They have been identified as Tulsiram (47), Bojjayya (55), Narayamma (65), Mounika (25) and Swaroopa (56).

According to official sources, Tulsiram and Bojjayya succumbed while undergoing treatment at the Gandhi Hospital. Narayanamma reportedly passed away at home before she could be hospitalized.

According to reports, three of the compounds that sold the spurious toddy reportedly got their supplies from one depot. The victims consumed the toddy on Monday and fell ill on Tuesday. They were admitted to hospitals with complaints of loose motions and vomiting.

The police stopped the funeral of Swaroopa, who died in a private hospital on Tuesday night. The police personnel took possession of her body which had been kept in ‘Swargapuri’ vehicle pending last rites.

The police shifted the body to Gandhi Hospital for post-mortem and took the statement of Swaroopa’s son.

The incident has sparked panic in various localities where the victims live. Residents have demanded strict action against those responsible for selling the adulterated toddy. It is alleged that the owner of one of the toddy shops tried to hide the details of death due to consumption of hooch. However, the police, with the help of locals, found out about the cause of the death of a victim in the locality. According to Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, 15 of the victims were admitted to NIMS, two to Gandhi Hospital, while some others were admitted to private hospitals.

The Minister said that the persons who had been running the depots from where to toddy was sold were taken into custody. “Inquiry is going on. Remaining toddy is seized and spilled away; and the samples taken and sent for chemical analysis,” said Krishna Rao, who visited NIMS to interact with the victims. Local police have intensified raids in the affected area and neighborhoods to curb the sale of illicit liquor.

Krishna Rao said that all those who had consumed the toddy showed similar symptoms and that initially they believed that it was a case of poisoning.

The Minister said that the police and excise department officials had registered a case and were investigating the incident. He assured that whoever was “responsible for playing with people’s lives will not be spared”. He said some of the people responsible had been detained and were being interrogated. Strict action would be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, he added. He said that clear instructions had been issued to the Excise Department officials to deploy special teams and take steps to ensure constant vigilance over toddy depots.