In a shocking hooch tragedy that rocked the metropolis, as many as 13 people and seven others were hospitalised after consuming illicit liquor at Malad's Malwani locality in north Mumbai on Thursday.
Of the 20 people who had taken ill after consuming spurious liquor at Rathodi village near fishing suburb of Malwani at Malad, 13 persons died till late in the evening. Given that the condition of a few among the seven people undergoing treatment at various nearby hospitals, the hooch tragedy may go by Friday morning.
Police said that the victims, aged between 18 and 45 years, had consumed liquor on Wednesday night at an illegal joint near the area around the Jurassic Park resort at Malvani. By Thursday morning, the victims developed symptoms like nausea, irritation and headache.
The victims were rushed to the nearby Surana Hospital at Malad and Shatbadi Hospital at Kandivli, where 13 persons died during the day.
Taking serious cognizance of the incident, Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria handed over the investigations into the hooch tragedy to the Crime branch-CID.
Maria also briefed Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio in the state government, about the incident.
Having begun the investigations, the city crime branch sleuths detained one Raju langada in connection with the incident. "We are questioning several persons in connection with the incident. We are also in the process of registering an FIR in connection with the incident," a senior crime branch official said.
Thursday's was the second major hooch tragedy after the one witnessed at Vikrholi in north-east Mumbai on December 25, 2004, in which 87 persons were killed.