Assam hooch tragedy toll up to 124, over 331 are in hospital

Guwahati: The death toll in Assam’s hooch tragedy climbed to 124 on Sunday with another 331 people undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Upper Assam’s Jorhat and Golaghat districts.

Informing that at least 71 people have died in Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) — where another 272 are undergoing treatment — state health department sources said that the death toll in Golaghat district was 49 so far. While 59 people are battling for life in Golaghat Civil Hospital, four more died in Titabor Subdivision Hospital in Jorhat district, he said.

Admitting that the deaths at homes have not been reported, authorities said that a large number of labourers of two tea estates of Golaghat and Jorhat districts had fallen ill after drinking spurious liquor on Thursday night and 12 of them had died the same night.

Meanwhile, the Assam police said on Sunday that it has detained at least 12 persons for interrogation in connection with the case. Doctors from Assam Medical College and Hospital of Dibrugarh district, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, and Tezpur Medical College and Hospital in Sonitpur district have been rushed to the Jorhat and Golaghat hospitals to provide medical care, he added.

In addition, the director of medical education, Anup Barman; directors of health department of Assam; and the National Rural Health Mission will be stationed in Jorhat city to supervise and coordinate services being provided to patients, the minister said on Saturday.

Hospital authorities have also been instructed to provide food for attendants of the hooch victims besides the mandatory health care facilities and medicines.

Meanwhile, hospital authorities said that the number of patients complaining pain in stomach has gone up after the state government announced a compensation of `50,000 for those who fall ill and are admitted to hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, local media said that sale of country-made liquor was still going on in the tea gardens of those districts not affected by this incident.

Though the Assam state excise minister claimed to have taken steps to stop the sale of country liquor, sources said that it has failed to make any impact on the ground.