Photo Courtesy: Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay| For representation purpose only
Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 15
Suspected spurious alcohol samples linked to the recent series of deaths in Tuensang has yet to be dispatched for laboratory tests, three days after the tragedy was officially reported on September 12. Subsequent to the reports of the alcohol-related fatalities in Tuensang town and Chendang Saddle, the police and Excise had jointly conducted raids confiscating an assortment of illicit India-Made Foreign Liquor from liquor joints and suspected vending points. Official sources familiar with the investigation, when contacted by The Morung Express, on September 15, could not provide an explanation for the delay.
Officially the number of deaths remained nine but the toll was tipped at eleven with three more deaths reported to have been linked to spurious liquor.
An official internal report cited the District Hospital, Tuensang, reporting the admission of 6 persons to the hospital showing similar symptoms on September 10, 11 and 12. The district authorities were subsequently alerted.
The report said that all six succumbed to their symptoms within hours of admission. One more person was brought dead, on September 12, taking the death toll reported by the hospital to seven.
Three others with similar symptoms were admitted to the hospital. The report said that two has been discharged and one was still admitted and recovering.
Among the victims was a couple. The husband was a policeman. The sources said that the couple alongwith a friend reportedly shared one bottle. All three reportedly developed symptoms to later succumb.
Another person, a male individual, was admitted to the District Hospital on September 12 with similar symptoms. He was undergoing treatment and, as per the latest information, was responding well.
Further, the investigation into the series of deaths remained in the ‘preliminary’ stage as on September 14. The Tuensang police could not be reached to ascertain this aspect.
Pending forensic confirmation of the actual cause of death, it said that preventive and prohibition-related measures were being intensified, including raids, detection and seizure of suspected illicit/spurious liquor, and increased field surveillance within Tuensang and its surrounding areas.
A consultative meeting was also convened by the district administration including the police, medical, and Excise on September 14. The meeting cited the denial of postmortem examinations coming in the way of the investigation.
The Excise and police told the meeting that the illicit liquor seized following the reports of deaths was being readied to be dispatched for laboratory analysis.
