Rajkot: A 25-year-old man died at a hospital in Bhavnagar district, ostensibly after drinking spurious liquor on Sunday night, while six others from the same gathering remain critically ill in various hospitals, with some on ventilators. Most of the victims complained of vision loss the following morning.The deceased was identified as Upendrasinh Gohil, a resident of Kharkadi village in Ghogha taluka.According to his cousin, Narendrasinh Gohil, Upendrasinh and other youths had gathered at a farm for a party on Sunday night, where they allegedly drank Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL).Soon after drinking the liquor, the youths began vomiting severely and were rushed to hospitals. Upendrasinh died during treatment. Preliminary medical findings indicated the presence of poisonous chemicals in the liquor.Police sources said the suspected spurious liquor, with dangerous chemicals mixed in it, was sold in bottles with IMFL labels. Police have launched a search for the bootlegger who supplied the adulterated liquor.Investigators are also trying to identify others who may have bought liquor from the same batch and determine whether they drank it and need treatment. Officials did not rule out the possibility of more casualties.Bhavnagar police have so far described the incident as involving “spurious liquor” rather than a “hooch tragedy”. The cause of death and nature of the substance consumed will be established after the FIR is registered and findings are received from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report and the postmortem.Bhavnagar superintendent of police Nitesh Pandey could not be reached for comment.
