Three persons, including a quack, who had been offering ‘native’ medication for various ailments in Alagappuram village in Tenkasi taluk, died on Sunday morning soon after consuming an herbal concoction prepared by him to ‘cure’ diabetes. Another person, S. Swaminathan (45), who also took the medication, is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital.
According to police, 50-year-old V. Muthupandi, known as ‘poojari’ in the village, was practising as a Siddha doctor without qualification. On Sunday, some patients including Irulandi (42), M. Balasubramanian (40) and Swaminathan had come to him seeking a cure for diabetes. Muthupandi prepared a herbal concoction and asked them to consume it.
Since the three were reportedly hesitant, he consumed it first, after which the others drank it.
Within minutes all the four collapsed. Witnessing this, other patients called the locals and rushed them to the nearest Government Hospital in Tenkasi. Police said one of the patients was brought dead to the hospital and the other two died soon after.
