Toddy adulteration in Hyderabad: Death toll rises to seven

Hyderabad, July 11 (IANS) The death toll due to consumption of spurious toddy in the Kukatpally area of Hyderabad has gone up to seven, while 51 people were hospitalised.

Of the total, 34 patients are receiving treatment at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS). Eleven have been hospitalised in Gandhi Hospital, while the remaining are undergoing treatment in private hospitals.

Two of the affected persons succumbed late on Thursday, bringing the toll to seven. One of them succumbed in a hospital in Nagarkurnool.

Authorities at NIMS were taking steps to keep beds ready to meet the possible increase in the influx of affected people. Special teams of doctors have been deployed at both NIMS and Gandhi Hospital for the treatment of the affected.

State Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha visited NIMS to call on the affected. Six of those hospitalised at NIMS were on dialysis.

Four bodies were handed over to their relatives after autopsy at Gandhi Hospital.

According to officials, the symptoms suggest the presence of chemical adulterants in the toddy. Methanol or chloral hydrate is suspected to have been mixed. Alprazolam may have been mixed in as well. The authorities were waiting for the toxicology report of the samples sent to the lab from the seized toddy at a few outlets.

The affected people had consumed toddy on July 6 and 7 in Kukatpally and surrounding areas. The authorities came to know about this on July 8 when the victims approached hospitals with symptoms like diarrhoea, low blood pressure, dizziness and fatigue.

Leaders of opposition parties also visited NIMS to call on the affected. They alleged that the government is suppressing the death toll and the number of affected.

BRS leader and former excise minister demanded that the government immediately announce compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased.

BJP state president Ramchandra Rao demanded a thorough probe into the incident. He said the incident occurred due to the government's failure.

He said the kidneys of some of the affected people have failed, which indicates how harmful the adulterants in the toddy would have been.

The Telangana Human Rights Commission on Thursday took cognisance of the incident and directed the Revenue Department to submit a detailed report by August 20.

The Prohibition and Excise Department has launched an investigation into spurious toddy. It sealed a few toddy shops and arrested five persons.

According to officials, Telangana reported 39,176 toddy-related incidents since 2014. As many as 13,338 people fell ill during this period due to the mixing of pharmaceutical and chemical substances with toddy and illegal brewing of toddy.

The data shows that 516 adulteration cases were reported across the state in the first half of 2025. The state reported 2,964 cases during 2024 and 4,832 cases during 2023.

The department seized 47 lakh litres of spurious toddy during the last 10 years. In most of the cases, toddy was adulterated with chloral hydrate, alprazolam and diazepam to enhance potency.

--IANS

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