This story is from February 22, 2019

Assam hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 35

At least 35 people, including 11 women died and more than 50 others were battling for their lives in hospitals after consuming poisonous country liquor in last 16 hours in three districts of Assam. CM Sarabananda Sonowal has ordered an inquiry by upper Assam division commissioner.
Assam hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 35
State government has ordered an inquiry into the tragedy.
Key Highlights
  • 50 others were battling for their lives in hospitals after consuming poisonous country liquor in last 16 hours in three districts of Assam.
  • Chief minister Sarabananda Sonowal has ordered an inquiry by upper Assam division commissioner.
  • In the initial inquiry it has been found that people consumed methyl alcohol mixed liquor.

JORHAT: At least 35 people, including 11 women died and more than 50 others were battling for their lives in hospitals after consuming poisonous country liquor in last 16 hours in three districts of Assam.
The majority of the dead are tea garden workers of Salmora tea garden, about three km from Golaghat town in Assam's Golaghat district. The others are from neighbouring Jorhat district.
The victims are under treatment at Jorhat Medical College Hospital (JMCH) and Golaghat Kushal Konwar Civil hospital.

Golaghat district excise department lodged a police complaint at Golaghat and three persons have been arrested in connection with the case.
"In the initial inquiry, it has been found that the people consumed methyl alcohol mixed liquor," said officials. Chief minister Sarabananda Sonowal's has ordered an inquiry by upper Assam division commissioner.
The CM has instituted a one-man inquiry and asked upper Assam division commissioner Julie Sonowal to probe into the corollaries of events leading to the death of people. The modus operandi of the inquiry will study the circumstances and other related causative factors and prepare a report and submit the same to the government. He also asked minister Topon Kumar Gogoi, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and MLA Mrinal Saikia to rush to the spot to assess and quell the situation arising out of the death of liquor poisoning.
The ongoing budget session of the Assam legislative assembly was rocked by the tragedy this morning. The opposition Congress blamed the state excise department for its failure to check consumption of country liquor in tea garden areas.
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About the Author
Prabin Kalita

Prabin Kalita is a journalist at The Times of India and is currently the Chief of Bureau (northeast). He has been reporting in mainstream Indian national media since 2001. He has been a field journalist reporting gamut of issues from India’s northeastern region and major developments in neighbouring countries like Myanmar, China, Bhutan and Bangladesh concerning India and northeastern region. He has been covering insurgency—internal and cross-border, politics, natural calamities, environment etc. He is a post-graduate in Geological Sciences from Gauhati University.

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