At least three persons, including two grocers, have been arrested, days after five persons died due to suspected consumption of an Ayurvedic syrup containing methanol sold by their shop in Kheda district of Gujarat, police said on Saturday.
Two others, who supplied bottles of syrup, are yet to be arrested.
According to the preliminary investigation, the store had sold bottles of syrup to at least 50 people.
A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Nadiad was formed to probe the case, Kheda District Superintendent of Police Rajesh Gadhiya said.
“We have arrested Kishor Sodha and his brother Ishwar Sodha, the owners of the supermarket that sold the suspected syrup to the victims. When the duo was interrogated, they identified one Yogesh Sindhi as the person who supplied them with the syrup. All three were arrested yesterday (Friday),” Gadhiya told reporters.
Sindhi revealed the names of Nitin Kotwani and Bhavesh Shevkani from whom he had bought bottles of syrup before Diwali. The duo, who hail from Vadodara city, are wanted in this connection, he said.
Gadhiya said that since the syrup bottles carried duplicate labels of manufacturers and marketers to mislead the people, the police have added a section related to adulteration under the Indian Penal Code to the FIR.
An FIR (First Information Report) was registered at Nadiad Rural Police Station on Friday evening on charges of manslaughter, poisoning and forgery after five persons were killed in Bilodara and Bagdu villages on November 28 and 29.
It was suspected that the deceased had consumed 'Kalmeghasav Asavarishta', which was sold without prescription to nearly 50 people at the grocery shop of Sodha brothers of Bilodara village near Nadiad.
According to officials, such medicinal syrups are sometimes misused by alcohol addicts in the 'dry' state of Gujarat.
“While five people died after consuming the syrup, two others are being treated at Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. Another person who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital for two days was shifted to Nadiad Civil Hospital on Friday evening,” Gadhiya said.
The police officer appealed to all private hospitals to report such suspicious cases who had approached them for treatment.
“Shop owner Kishan Sodha has reportedly admitted that he had sold syrup bottles to nearly 50 persons last week. He bought them for Rs 100 each and sold them for Rs 130,” Gadhiya said.
A Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has said that 'Asavas' and 'Arishtams' are fermented Ayurvedic mixtures containing less than 12 percent self-generated alcohol.
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