School dropout picked up tech from YouTube videos

Prime accused in the hand sanitiser case, Sale Srinivas of Hyderabad, is a school dropout who after studying up to Class VI produced the sanitiser at Jeedimetla in Hyderabad by watching the process on YouTube, though he had little knowledge about chemicals.

The escalation in demand for hand sanitisers during the pandemic led Srinivas, who was working in a petrol bunk, to make and sell hand sanitisers at a cheap rate.

The Andhra Pradesh Special Investigation

Team officials found the supply chain and distribution track of Perfect Gold hand sanitiser manufactured by Srinivas in Hyderabad to Kurichedu where 16 persons consumed it and died last month. The SIT found that one Vimal Agarwal, a relative of Srinivas’ associate Kesav Agarwal, sold 200 bottles to one Yasmin Delawala, who sells face masks at Basheerbagh in Hyderabad. He sold them to Kuvvarapu Vikram Dharma of Darsi of Prakasam district who used to buy masks from her.

Vikram sold the bottles to five medical shops at Kurichedu, Darsi and Donakonda.

They were purchased by the 16 persons who were finding it difficult to purchase alcohol and lost their lives. During the course of investigation, the SIT officials examined more than 50 witnesses related to the case.

Prakasam superintendent of police Siddhardh Kaushal, appreciated the SIT comprising Chowdeswary, officer on special duty, Markapur; K. Prakasha Rao, SDPO, Darsi; G. Nageswara Reddy, SDPO, Markapur; V. Sreeram, Podili inspector; M. D. Moin, Darsi inspector; and A. Anjanya Reddy, Addanki inspector.