KAMAREDDY: The number of people hospitalised after consuming toddy in Kamareddy district rose to 73 on Tuesday. Of them, 43 persons were admitted to the Government Area Hospital in Banswada, while 14 received treatment in the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Nizamabad, four in GGH Kamareddy, two in a private hospital in Kamareddy, eight in outpatient care in Banswada Area Hospital and two in a private hospital in Banswada.
Following the incident, the Excise Police arrested four persons and authorities are currently awaiting the Forensic Lab (FSL) report to determine the cause of the health issues.
According to Banswada Sub-Collector K Kiranmai, the toddy supply point in question is located in Durki village of Narasullabad mandal under Banswada division. On Monday, villagers from Durki, Damaranch, Ankol tanda consumed toddy from this source.
Soon after, they began experiencing symptoms like neck pain, body pain, joint pain and other neurological issues.
Upon noticing the situation, the Medical and Health department arranged ambulances and shifted the patients to the Government Area Hospital in Banswada. Eight people who reported mild symptoms received outpatient treatment at the same facility.
The Health department has formed village-level teams to conduct door-to-door surveys in the affected villages to identify any additional cases.
While all patients are currently in stable condition, psychiatrists have advised continued observation for another 24 hours. If their health remains stable, they may be discharged soon, officials stated.
The sub-collector told TNIE: “Why the villagers suffered health issues after consuming toddy is a serious concern. We are awaiting the FSL report, which will confirm whether the toddy was contaminated or adulterated with any substances. We are also investigating whether toddy from this source was distributed to other villages.”
Kamareddy Collector Ashish Sangwan has alerted all officials to take preventive measures and ensure such incidents are not repeated.