BOOM

Trending Searches

    SUPPORT
    BOOM

    Trending News

      • Fact Check 
        • Fast Check
        • Politics
        • Business
        • Entertainment
        • Social
        • Sports
        • World
      • Law
      • Explainers
      • News 
        • All News
      • Decode 
        • Impact
        • Scamcheck
        • Life
        • Voices
      • Media Buddhi 
        • Digital Buddhi
        • Senior Citizens
        • Videos
      • Web Stories
      • BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos 
        • Facts Neeti
      • Home-icon
        Home
      • About Us-icon
        About Us
      • Authors-icon
        Authors
      • Team-icon
        Team
      • Careers-icon
        Careers
      • Internship-icon
        Internship
      • Contact Us-icon
        Contact Us
      • Methodology-icon
        Methodology
      • Correction Policy-icon
        Correction Policy
      • Non-Partnership Policy-icon
        Non-Partnership Policy
      • Cookie Policy-icon
        Cookie Policy
      • Grievance Redressal-icon
        Grievance Redressal
      • Republishing Guidelines-icon
        Republishing Guidelines
      • Fact Check-icon
        Fact Check
        Fast Check
        Politics
        Business
        Entertainment
        Social
        Sports
        World
      • Law-icon
        Law
      • Explainers-icon
        Explainers
      • News-icon
        News
        All News
      • Decode-icon
        Decode
        Impact
        Scamcheck
        Life
        Voices
      • Media Buddhi-icon
        Media Buddhi
        Digital Buddhi
        Senior Citizens
        Videos
      • Web Stories-icon
        Web Stories
      • BOOM Research-icon
        BOOM Research
      • BOOM Labs-icon
        BOOM Labs
      • Deepfake Tracker-icon
        Deepfake Tracker
      • Videos-icon
        Videos
        Facts Neeti
      Trending Tags
      TRENDING
      • #Operation Sindoor
      • #Pahalgam Terror Attack
      • #Narendra Modi
      • #Rahul Gandhi
      • #Waqf Amendment Bill
      • #Arvind Kejriwal
      • #Deepfake
      • #Artificial Intelligence
      • Home
      • Issues
      • Killed By A Rs.10 Glass Of Hooch
      Issues

      Killed By A Rs.10 Glass Of Hooch

      By - Portia Putatunda |
      Published -  3 July 2015 6:17 PM IST
    • Boomlive

      [video type='youtube' id='YnlNNTPLpFM' height='350']

      In one of the country's worst hooch tragedies 106 men died in Mumbai last month. We bring you the story behind the numbers. The stories of the men who died and the families mourning them.

      It's a remarkably unremarkable story. Poor men with hard lives and unpleasant jobs look for a quick high only to become the victims of adulterated liquor that costs them their lives. The search for a temporary reprieve from life turning into a permanent break from it.

      In one of the worst hooch related tragedies in the country, on June 18, 106 men were admitted to hospital after drinking hooch at Rs.10 for a glass or pouch. To date 106 have died and a few have been recently discharged, though impaired for life. The highest death toll in the last decade because of illegal liquor was in Kolar, Karnataka in May 2008, where one hundred and eighty people died.

      These numbers mean little to the over hundred families in Laxmi Nagar a slum colony in Malwani a northern suburb of Mumbai. The largely Marathi-speaking people who live here have lost husbands, fathers, brothers, sons and friends.

      As you walk through the warren of long alleys, often less than two feet wide, you can sense the tragedy that has struck almost every one of the 1000 people living in the 2x2metre tarpaulin enclosed homes. Everyone here is used to the men drinking daily. But they are left dazed by the fact that the bootleggers would be so immoral. The colourless liquid that sells at Rs.10/- for a single pouch was the deadly industrial solvent methanol mixed with water and masked by cardamom, making every glass a lethal one.

      Narangi Ragpaksa, a 45 year old woman who lives here guides us to the homes of people who have lost family members. She says, “100 se zyada log mar gaye yaha pe zeherila daru pikar, tab se yaha pe ya toh police ya toh news wale aa rahe hai"', (Over a 100 men were killed by spurious liquor, and since then this place is suddenly seeing several cops and journalists).”

      The Maharashtra government has asked the police to conduct raids and arrested all the five accused but the mastermind--a lady called Akka is absconding. The government has charged the accused under Section 65, Bombay Prohibition Act and is reportedly planning to use the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to charge the criminals that will make bail a difficult proposition.

      A compensation of Rs.1 lakh has been announced to the families of each of the dead men but there seems to be a lack of clarity about how many families have received the compensation.

      Even as the families grapple with these matters they relive memories of the men who were pivotal to their lives.

      Tags

      Bombay Prohibition Actchemical highHoochHooch tragedyillicit alcohol racketillicit liquorindustrial solventliquor denMaharashtra Control of Organised Crime ActMalwaniMCOCAmethanolMumbaiNarangi RagpaksaSection 65
      Read Full Article
      Next Story
      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. Please reload after ad blocker is disabled.
      X

      Subscribe to BOOM Newsletters

      👉 No spam, no paywall — but verified insights.

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe for free!

      Stay Ahead of Misinformation!

      Please enter a Email Address
      Subscribe Now🛡️ 100% Privacy Protected | No Spam, Just Facts
      By subscribing, you agree with the Terms & conditions and Privacy Policy connected to the offer

      Thank you for subscribing!

      You’re now part of the BOOM community.

      Or, Subscribe to receive latest news via email
      Subscribed Successfully...
      Copy HTMLHTML is copied!
      There's no data to copy!