11 DIE AFTER CONSUMING HAND SANITISER

As many as 11 persons have died in the last three days after reportedly consuming hand sanitisers in Kurichedu town of Prakasam district. While nine died on Friday, two succumbed on Thursday.

All deaths were reported from containment zones where liquor shops have remained shut for more than 10 days.

With skyrocketing prices of liquor being beyond their reach, the victims appear to have opted for sanitisers as a cheaper option. Three of the dead were beggars.

B. Srinu, a friend of some of the deceased, survived and is being treated by a registered medical practitioner at Kurichedu. He said an elderly person had suggested sanitiser as an alternative to liquor after he complained about a headache. His father, who lost both his hands in an accident, said the deceased, including his son, were consuming sanitizer despite his appeals and they had now paid a heavy price for it.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has expressed concern over the incident and ordered a comprehensive probe. Prakasam SP Siddharth Kaushal rushed to Kurichedu and interacted with the kin of victims. He said they had collected samples of sanitisers that were consumed and they are being sent to a lab for testing. “We will provide further details after obtaining the post-mortem reports,” he said adding that a high ranking officer would probe into the incident.

The deceased have been identified as Kotagiri Ramanaiah (45) of Banaganapalli village in Kurnool district, Kadiayam Ramanaiah (27), Guntaka Rami Reddy (57), Madugula Cheries (36), Anugonda Srinu (30), Bogyam Thirupathaiah (35), Abdul Khaseem (30), an unidentified beggar and another beggar Raja Reddy of Kurichedu.