Five dead in Gujarat's Kheda due to suspected consumption of contaminated ayurvedic syrup
Nadiad (Guj), Nov 30: At least five persons have died due to the suspected consumption of an ayurvedic syrup containing methyl alcohol in Gujarat's Kheda district, police said on Thursday.
The deaths took place on November 28 and 29, said Kheda Superintendent of Police Rajesh Gadhiya.
Methyl alcohol is a poisonous substance. Police are probing at what stage it was added to the syrup.
The deceased were suspected to have consumed `Kalmeghasav - Asava Arishta', an ayurvedic syrup which was sold over the counter to nearly 50 persons by a grocery shop in Bilodara village near Nadiad, the police official said.
According to officials, such medicinal syrups are sometimes misused by alcohol addicts. Notably, prohibition is in force in Gujarat.
"While five persons lost their lives after consuming the syrup in the last two days, two are undergoing treatment. We have detained the shop owner and two others for questioning," SP Gadhiya said.
Police started a probe on Wednesday afternoon after learning that five deaths had taken place at Bilodara and Bagdu villages, he said.
Mitesh Chauhan (27), who had stayed for the night at his married sister's house in Bagdu village, complained of dizziness on the morning of November 28. His condition deteriorated while his brother-in-law Alpesh Sodha was taking him to the hospital and he died on the way, said a release by Kheda police.
When Chauhan's last rites were being conducted, Sodha too complained of uneasiness and was admitted to a hospital in Mahemdavad. He died on Wednesday evening, said the release.
"We found that three more persons from Bilodara village had died on November 28 and 29 after developing similar symptoms. While the families of four of them had already performed last rites without informing police, we convinced the family of Natu Sodha to hand over the body for autopsy to find out the exact cause," said Gadhiya.
Natu Sodha's body was sent to the Nadiad civil hospital for autopsy.
Preliminary probe revealed that all five deaths were linked to suspected consumption of Kalmeghasav, the official said.
Shop owner Kishan Sodha allegedly admitted that he had sold syrup bottles to nearly 50 persons in the last one week. He bought them for Rs 100 apiece and sold them for Rs 130, Gadhiya said.
"Kishan's father Sankalbhai and another resident of Bilodara, Baldev Sodha, had also consumed this syrup and both are currently under treatment. Sankalbhai's blood test confirmed the presence of methyl alcohol, which means the chemical was added to the syrup...it is a matter of investigation at which stage it was added," the SP said.
Police have detained Kishan Sodha, a person named Yogesh Sindhi and another man. Kishan claimed that he had purchased the syrup from Sindhi, the official said.
"We learnt from the Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) that no license is required to sell this syrup as it is an ayurvedic preparation. But a license is required to manufacture such syrups. It is also a matter of investigation whether all the bottles were contaminated, because out of 50 persons who drank it, only five were affected," the SP said.
H G Koshia, a commissioner at the FDCA, said `Asavas' and `Arishtams' are fermented ayurvedic mixtures which contain less than 12 per cent self-generated alcohol.
"Since even production (of such syrups) is banned in Gujarat, it is procured from other states and sometimes sold after alcohol or even methanol is added to them. We have caught such malpractices in the past too. Yogesh Sindhi had earlier sought the FDCA's permission to start a manufacturing unit of this syrup. But we denied him permission after checking his record," said Koshia.
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Telangana govt rejects Adani's Rs 100 cr donation for skills university
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government will not accept the Rs 100 crore CSR donation committed by industrialist Gautam Adani for the Young India Skills University being set up in the state.
The CM's announcement came days after the indictment of the Adani Group chairman in a US court.
In a letter to Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, the state government's Special Chief Secretary (Industries) Jayesh Ranjan said he has been "instructed by the chief minister not to seek the transfer of funds in view of the present circumstances and arising controversies".
While thanking Priti Adani for committing Rs 100 crore to the skills university, the official said the state government has so far not asked any of the donors for physical transfer of funds since the university had not received the IT exemption under Section 80 G. However, the IT exemption order has now been received recently.
Addressing a press conference here, Revanth Reddy said the decision was taken as the Congress government does not want to find itself in any unwarranted controversy amid the allegations against the Adani Group.
He said so far the Telangana government has not accepted a single rupee into its account from any organisation, including Adani Group, for the skills university being established to promote employment avenues for youth.
"I and my Cabinet colleagues do not want to be involved in unnecessary discussions and situations that would dent Telangana's image or my own," Reddy said.
Gautam Adani met the chief minister here on Octrober 18 and symbolically handed over a cheque for Rs 100 crore towards donation to the skills university.
Asked about the comments of BRS that the government should cancel the Adani Group's investment proposals in the state, Reddy said the government will have to take legal opinion for cancellation of any agreements as the other party can go to courts against unilateral termination of pacts.
On BRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that the previous BRS regime did not allow Adani Group into the state, Reddy displayed photographs of former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Rama Rao with Gautam Adani to the mediapersons.
He also read out a list of Adani Group's investment proposals reportedly approved by the BRS government.
"Is he (Rama Rao) ready for a probe on these," Reddy asked.
When pointed out that the state government discussed investment proposals with the Adani Group though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on Adani for several years now, he said Congress is not against any investment proposal or corporate house but crony capitalism and violation of rules.
It is his responsibility to follow his leader when the latter is raising his voice on an issue, Reddy said.
