Eid tragedy: Toxic liquor claims 23 lives in Karachi

Death toll expected to rise as more patients hospitalised; police crack down on sellers

KARACHI:

The Eid holidays proved catastrophic for a number of families as 23 people lost their lives in the last 24 hours after they consumed homemade liquor. The number of fatalities is set to increase over the next two days, as at least 16 more people were admitted to the hospital in critical condition after they drank ‘kutchi sharab’.

The deaths occurred in the low-income localities of Karachi’s District East and included Landhi, Korangi, Sharafi Goth, Quaidabad, Bilal Colony, Awami Colony and Zaman Town. Some victims were also brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) from Mehmoodabad, Preedy and Frere areas of District South.

Four people were dead on arrival at JPMC and 19 others followed soon after. Many families took the deceased away without completing medico-legal formalities. “The families are not cooperating with us. A few families are not ready to admit that their loved ones died after they consumed liquor and insist that they died a natural death,” Karachi police spokesperson Inspector Atiq Shaikh told The Express Tribune. 



Some 25 patients had been brought to the hospital since Tuesday evening to early Wednesday morning while the rest brought to the hospital since Wednesday morning. The victims were aged between 17 and 28 years while less than half a dozen others were between 40 and 50 years old.

A policeman, Suleman Khan, and his three friends - Raees, Mairaj Hameed and Rashid Jan - were also among the dead while one friend Zeeshan survived. They reportedly consumed the toxic liquor to celebrate Eid holidays and were residents of Korangi.

“Murder cases should be lodged against officials of departments including the Excise and Taxation and the police,” said Ismail, a relative of one of the deceased. “Many people have lost their lives due to this toxic alcohol, but these departments only helped those selling the liquor and took bribes.”

On Sunday, the Sindh government stripped Mukesh Chawla of his Excise and Taxation portfolio after the provincial government deemed the minister ‘negligent’ for issuing licences to substandard wine shops in Hyderabad, where 20 people died after consuming liquor over the past week.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and IGP Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali have asked police officials to speed up operations against those involved in manufacturing and selling toxic liquor and half a dozen suspects have been picked up in raids in Karachi.

Additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo has nominated District East police chief DIG Munir Shaikh to conduct a special inquiry to find out about manufacturers of toxic liquor in the city, adding that action will be taken against the SHO concerned if any factories are found. It was found that victims bought liquor from localities including Sharafi Goth, Landhi and Mehmoodabad.

Deaths due to the consumption of poisonous liquor are common, particularly in low-income areas of Karachi, especially during holidays. Last year, over 15 people lost their lives after they consumed toxic liquor in parts of Mehmoodabad.


Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2014.