Why hooch sells like hot cakes
Over 100 people have died after consuming illicit country-made liquor over the last five days in Punjab’s Majha region comprising Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. 83 deaths were reported in Tarn Taran city and its adjoining villages, 12 in Amritsar’s Muchhal village and 15 in Gurdaspur’s Batala town. Anil Sharma explains the whats and whys of the killer brew and the tragedy.
WHAT IS HOOCH
Hooch is a term used for illicitly brewed alcohol. Since such alcoholic preparations are illegal, there is no way for the consumer to know the ingredients and their proportion. Deaths due to hooch poisoning are common and reports keep coming every now and then from different parts of India.
HOW IT’S MADE
Spurious alcoholic beverages include illicit liquor (unauthorised) and denatured alcohol (prepared for industrial uses and is rendered entirely unfit for human consumption by adding denaturants). According to the police and the excise department, though reports of the chemical analysis of the material seized in raids were yet to come, it appears that the material was denatured spirit, generally used in paint/hardware industry. Police say investigations show only water was being mixed to denatured spirit to produce illicit liquor. Liquor is distilled after the raw material is heated up to 150 degrees Celsius, and in this case, the process seems to have been given a go-by, police say.
WHY PEOPLE BUY HOOCH
Illicit liquor or countrymade liquor or ‘ghar di sharaab’ is cheaper than liquor sold in shops. Countrymade liquor is also made in distilleries. It is considered illicit when the makers sell it without paying excise duty. The poor prefer countrymade liquor as a bottle of two litres of illicit liquor can be bought for ₹200 to ₹250. However, the price of the cheapest brand of a liquor bottle (750ml) being sold in shops costs ₹230. Moreover, one can buy a small glass or a peg for ₹10 to ₹30.
HOW IT KILLS
Denatured spirit is unfit for human consumption. Experts suspect less water was used while diluting the strength of denatured spirit. A senior police official said investigation suggested the presence of methanol in the liquor consumed by the victims. Many victims complained of blurring of vision before breathing their last. This is a key symptom of methanol consumption. Ranbir Singh of Rataul village, who became blind after consuming illicit liquor, says he lost his sight within hours.