Spurious liquor claims 6 lives in Surat, two women arrested

A mother-daughter duo was arrested for allegedly selling spurious liquor laced with methyl alcohol, which claimed six lives in Surat city during last one week, police said.
The toxic liquor was prepared by the bootlegger duo using Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), water, chocolate powder and homeopathic medicine having alcohol content, a release quoting Commissioner of Police, Surat city, Satish Sharma said here today.
Shila Rana (54) and her daughter Nimisha Rana (30), are residents of Gotlawadi tenements in Katargam area of city.
Earlier, it was suspected that country made liquor, also called as hooch, was responsible for the six deaths in Katargam area between January 16 and January 23.

"The blood sample reports suggested that all the six persons had died due to methyl alcohol. During our investigation, we zeroed in on Shila and her daughter Nimisha, who have confessed to have sold adulterated liquor to these victims," said Sharma.
"We have arrested both of them yesterday. Forensic analysis of liquor seized from their house also established methyl alcohol's presence. This was the same liquor which was sold to the victims," said Sharma.

The women have confessed that they had prepared the liquor mixing various substances, including IMFL and homeopathic medicine, which was bought from a local shop by Shila on January 13.

"It was not a hooch. They prepared it using IMFL, homeopathic medicine, water and chocolate powder. They did this to increase the quantity, as they were unable to find enough number of liquor bottles due to recent police crackdown," said Sharma.
According to him, homeopathic medicine, named 'Thuja', has been sent for forensic analysis to find out the source of methyl alcohol, which is not used to make this medicine.
"Homeopathic medicine do have alcohol, not methyl alcohol. But, since methyl alcohol was found in the liquor, we have sent this medicine for forensic analysis to find it's contents. The picture will be clear only after the results arrive," he added.