One dies, others hospitalised due to toddy withdrawal signs

Hyderabad: Suffering from severe toddy withdrawal symptoms, one person died on Saturday in Mahabubnagar while more than 70 people, including a woman, had to be hospitalised.

Toddy addicts from Narayanpet, Kodangal, Kolhapur, Nagarkurnool and Mahabubnagar areas have been behaving abnormally due to lack of toddy supply in the villages, said sources.

Thirteen persons from Timmapur village in Jagtial mandal of Karimnagar district, who displayed withdrawal symptoms, also had to be hospitalised. Following the instructions from higher authorities of Prohibition and Excise, officials from police and revenue department have been jointly conducting raids on toddy shops and sending samples to laboratories to test their contents.

Sensing trouble, the toddy sellers have stopped mixing chemicals in the toddy, which led to health problems among the addicts. Jangidi Kistaiah (45) from Utkoor mandal had been showing toddy withdrawal symptoms and had been behaving abnormally for the past 20 days.

He was admitted at the Narayanpet hospital on Saturday, where he succumbed. Meanwhile, 13 persons, including a woman, displayed withdrawal symptoms in Timmapur village in Jagtial area. “We have sent the samples for testing.

Sudden change in daily habits may also lead to such symptoms,” said Jagtial excise CI Sampath Krishna.