2019 Assam alcohol poisonings
DateFebruary 2019
LocationGolaghat and Jorhat districts in Assam
CauseToxic Bootleg Alcohol
Deaths156

In February 2019, at least 168 people died after drinking toxic bootleg alcohol in Golaghat and Jorhat districts in Indian state of Assam. The incident occurred two weeks after 100 people died by drinking toxic alcohol in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.[1]

Incident

The poisonings first came to attention on 21 February 2019, when 42 people died shortly after drinking the illegal alcohol.[2][3] Over the following days, more people died from the poisoning and many more were admitted to local hospitals.[4] On 24 February 2019, it was reported that a total of 144 people had died and more than 300 were admitted in hospitals making it one of the deadliest alcohol poisonings in the country.[5][6][7] The next day, the death toll had risen to 156.[8]

The incident occurred at tea plantations in the districts. Most of the victims were labourers in these plantations. They might have bought the liquor to drink after a day's work in the plantation.[9]

I had bought half a liter of wine and drank it before eating. Initially, everything was normal, but after some time my head started hurting. The headache grew so much that I could not eat or sleep.

— One hospitalised worker told BBC

Aftermath

Ten people have been detained for the incident.[10]

Assam Government has announced ex-gratia of ₹ 200,000 for the dead and ₹ 50,000 to those undergoing treatment.[10] The Government is also planning to ban and seize all illicit liquor in the state. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered probe over the incident.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Agence France-Presse (11 February 2019). "Toxic alcohol 'laced with methanol' kills at least 99 people in India". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  2. ↑ "Bootlegged liquor kills 42 in Assam". Hindustan Times. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  3. ↑ "78 people dead in Assam illicit liquor tragedy". India Today. Ist. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  4. ↑ "Assam hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 133, over 200 hospitalised". India Today. Indo-Asian News Service. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  5. ↑ "Assam toxic alcohol deaths". BBC News.
  6. ↑ Dhillon, Amrit (23 February 2019). "Tainted alcohol kills dozens of people in India". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  7. ↑ "Assam Hooch Tragedy: Death Toll Rises to 131 in Golaghat & Jorhat". The Quint. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  8. ↑ Agence France-Presse (25 February 2019). "India toxic alcohol deaths jump to 156". New Straits Times. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "Bootleg Liquor Kills Scores In India's Latest Mass Outbreak Of Alcohol Poisoning". NPR.org. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Toll in Assam liquor tragedy rises to 114; 10 detained so far". Hindustan Times. 23 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "CM Sarbananda Sonowal Orders Probe Over Alcohol Poisoning In Golaghat". The Sentinel. 23 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
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