Hooch claims 12 in Odhav

Even before the city could come to terms with the death toll in the hooch tragedy in Majoor Gam, 22 families in Odhav have lost many of their loved ones to spurious liquor.

The situation in Odhav and Amraivadi area could have been prevented if the cops had been quick about raiding liquor dens in the area.

On Wednesday morning some 12 people were found dead in the area. Some of them were found dead on roads, near a canal and at homes and factories. As news spread, Odhav police reached the area at around 12 pm. At the Odhav fire station the cops recovered two dead bodies one from the compound of chemical factory and one from outside the factory.

Ramesh Solanki, a labourer died at his resident in Canal Road in Odhav.

His wife Ganga said Ramesh was senseless when he was brought home on Tuesday night by the neighbours. “He began complaining about stomach pain late in the night and we moved him to a private hospital in Bapunagar. But the doctor their asked us to move him to civil hospital. He died on his way,” said Ganga.

Another hooch victim Naresh Saxena, 35, was lathe machine worker and resident of Viratnagar-Purushottamnagar . Saxena’s wife Sheela is five-months pregnant.

He is also survived by a mother and a five-year-old son.

“My son somehow got addicted to liquor and despite our efforts refused to give up the habit. He would beat his wife if she complained about his habit. I have lost my husband to liquor and now I have lost my son to it,” said Pragshree Saxena, the victim’s mother.

She says she doesn’t trust the government to bring the culprits to book.

Vishram Koli, 45, who died in his sleep at his home in Bhavaninagar Tekra in Odhav, was thought to have died of natural causes. “It was later that we came to know that hooch had killed him,” said his son Dasharathsinh Koli. 

Residents of Odhav claim that most of the hooch victims in the area were regular customers of local bootlegger Hari alias Harish Bhaiyaji.  The bootlegger’s den is at Kheta Vanzara’s Chali on Canal Road. Other bootleggers in the area are Ramesh Thakor, who has his den at Bhavaninagar Kasai ni Chali and Vipin alias Batko who sells liquor from his apartment.

Majority of the victim had bought hooch from these three bootleggers.

According to sources in Odhav police station, 24 bootleggers have been arrested for selling illicit liquor in the area, while the police have conducted raids on various liquor dens in the area.

Reva Desai, resident of Rabari Colony in Odhav said there are more than 70 dens of country-made liquor in Odhav. “We have often complained to the Odhav police but they did not take any action because they get hafta. There have been instances when the cops have threatened the complainants,” said Desai.

Congress leaders including, GPCC president Siddharth Patel, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Shaktisinh Gohil, Deepak Babaria and other local leaders visited the area.

During their visit crowds gathered and shouted slogans against the Narendra Modi government.