Hooch case: Methanol not found in blood samples of victims

The city police today said that methanol, a toxic chemical, was not found in the blood samples of four persons who were hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor.

Methanol is sometimes added to illegally manufactured liquor to provide extra 'kick', though it is lethal.

"As per the FSL report, no presence of methanol was found in the blood samples. The level of ethyl alcohol too was well below the permissible limit," said Joint Commissioner of Police KLN Rao, citing the preliminary report of the Forensic Science Laboratory.

When asked what made the four men sick, he said police were waiting for a detailed forensic report to find it out.

All the four men have been shifted to the main civil hospital in Asarwa area for better treatment, he said.

Hospital authorities said that two of them were still unconscious and in critical condition.

Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor, independent MLA Jignesh Mevani and Patidar leader Hardik Patel met the victims at the hospital today, and questioned the BJP government's efforts to stop illegal sale of liquor in Gujarat where Prohibition is in force.

"This is the state government's failure. We will raid illegal liquor dens to expose them," Patel told reporters.

Four persons were admitted to Sola Civil Hospital here yesterday after they took severely ill after consuming what is believed to be spurious liquor at Sola village the previous night.