HYDERABAD: The number of people hospitalised due to alleged consumption of adulterated toddy in Vikarabad district rose to 171 on Monday from 97 on Saturday.
Many began approaching hospitals with seizures and other physical discomfort. Meanwhile, a person aged over 80 years died at the Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad on Monday, taking the death toll so far to two.
The Prohibition and Excise Department of Vikarabad informed that of the 171 people hospitalised as on Monday, 143 have already been discharged.
However, many more people may have approached private healthcare facilities for treatment for the same from two main mandals of the district, namely Nawabpet and Vikarabad, officials said.
The Director of Prohibition and Excise Department Sarfaraz Ahmad said that lab reports of toddy samples sent for testing for adulteration were expected to be out in one to two days, following which appropriate act ion would be taken.
Also, the viscera samples of two people who died till now will also be sent to forensic lab for analysis. If the cause of death is found to be adulterated toddy, action will be initiated by Excise Department in those cases as well.