Vijaywada: At least five persons were killed and over a dozen fell immediately ill after consuming cheap liquor at a bar in Krishna Lanka area of Vijayawada in Krishna district on Monday. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
According to locals and police, around 23 people collapsed in the bar after allegedly consuming cheap liquor at Swarna Bar & Restaurant in M Hotel on Monday. All of them were rushed to a government hospital. Eight of the victims are said to be critical.
Excise officials stepped into action and collected samples of the liquor available in the bar and later seized it.
AP Additional Director General of Police(Law and order) Mr R P Thakur said ,"We are probing on the cause of death. It appears prima facie that it is totally a spurious liquor. Out of total five dead two of them collapsed immediately in the bar the very next minute they consumed the liquor. This shows that what they drunk is totally spurious," Mr Thakur was the hospital where other victims are being treated in Vijayawada.
Jagan Mohan Reddy express shock and grief over the deaths and has asked the government to provide better medical care to the victims undergoing treatment. He had also sought a judicial probe into the case.
Local MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao also demanded a thorough investigation into the issue and called on officials of all concerned departments to take the issue seriously.
Minister for Excise & Prohibition Mr K Ravindra will be visiting the victims and the bar where the tragedy took place.
Locals alleged that the bar maintains poor hygiene.
