Ten people died at Kurichedu village of Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, after consuming hand-sanitiser mixed with soft drinks. The deceased have been identified as Anugonda Srinu (25), Bogem Tirupatiaha (37), Guntaka Ramireddy (60), Ramanaih (65), Ramana (65), Raja Reddy (65), Babu (40), Charles (45) and Augustin (47), and another dead body is yet to be identified. As licenced liquor shops in and around Kurichedu were ordered to remain closed for 10 days, the men resorted to buying hand sanitiser from medical shops as a substitute for alcohol. A local resident told The Daily Guardian, “Liquor prices are too high. A quarter of liquor costs Rs 350 and a bottle of beer costs Rs 250. This is why the poor have been buying sanitiser for Rs 50 and drinking it with cold drinks for almost three months now. Unfortunately, it cost them their lives today.” Among the deceased, three men have been identified as beggars in the area. Darsi DSP K Prakash Rao stated, “Poligala Srinu, a coolie, had confirmed that they all have been consuming sanitizer for the past one week, as they could not get their hands on liquor. However, Srinu died undergoing treatment.” Kurchedu and Darsi have been declared containment zones in view of an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases.
Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu blamed the government for these deaths, terming it as failure on their part. He said that such types of tragic incidents need to be stopped and stringent action taken. He also called for ex gratia to be given to the victims’ families. Naidu also expressed shock, citing a spike in deaths involving spurious country liquor and sanitisers within the past 14 months, and slammed the Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy government for increasing liquor prices by 300%. The Andhra government was also criticised for allowing cheap and unhealthy liquor brands to be sold at government liquor shops.
The Assembly Speaker had also said previously that liquor sellers were ruling the roost and enjoying real power in the state.