Dasara turned tragic for the people of remote Ramayapalem village in Prakasam district as nine persons were taken ill after consuming adulterated toddy at Gurrapadia village in the neighbouring Kondepi mandal on Sunday.
While five persons were rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences(RIMS), the other four were admitted to a super-specialty hospital here. Those hospitalised included one Kottaiah who sold the toddy concoction, said Markapur Excise Superintendent R. Hanumantha Rao.
The unsold toddy has been seized and one person has been taken into custody in this connection. The licensee, Jalaiah, is at large.
The toddy samples were sent for testing, said Mr. Rao. All the nine reportedly consumed the toddy on empty stomach.
''The condition of the four in the hospital is stable as of now,'' said Dr. Vijaya Sri, the super-specialty hospital head and Marripudi Hospital Development Committee chairperson.
Kin worried
“We had thwarted several attempts in the past to set up a liquor shop in the village,'' a group of women with anxiety writ large on their faces told The Hindu at the super-specialty hospital.
''But we have failed to prevent our men from crossing over to the adjoining Gurrapadia village to consume toddy laced with drugs from a licensed shop on this black Sunday,” lamented Rajini waiting outside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to know the condition of the family’s bread winner.
''My father who occasionally consumes toddy went in the morning to the neighbouring village. He fell unconscious within minutes of consuming the concoction,'' said Kalpana, daughter of 65-year-old Narayana, with tears running down her cheeks.
''It is harvest time in the village. My husband crossed over to the neighbouring village to drink a few rounds of toddy,'' added Nirmala, wife of Venkat Rao, unable to reconcile with the incident.
''Even during festival time we don't allow wine shops, which operate through a series of belt shops, to sell liquor in our village,” added Ravi, son of 45-year-old Yalamanda recuperating at the hospital.
