In the devastating spurious liquor tragedy that has shaken Pune, most of the victims from the Phugewadi area were daily wage workers employed with a movers and packers firm. According to police and neighbours, these workers regularly visited the house of Karnail Singh Virka in Phugewadi, where he has been allegedly selling country-made liquor illegally for the past four decades.
Victims and Their Families
Akshay Awasarmal (28), a resident of Phugewadi, died in a hospital on Friday after consuming liquor at Virka's house. His aunt, Ujjawala Yadav, told TOI that Akshay had lost his father about a year ago and his mother suffered a paralytic attack more recently. “Akshay and his two brothers were the breadwinners of the family. Akshay used to take care of everyone,” Yadav said. Akshay’s mother Anita and grandmother Kasturabai were inconsolable. “We lost our young boy due to liquor. The police should permanently shut these liquor dens,” Kasturabai said.
Sachin Netke (35), who lived a short distance from Akshay’s house, died in his sleep on Friday. When Akshay started feeling unwell, it was Netke who shifted him to the hospital. However, Netke did not tell anyone that he too was unwell. “My brother lived alone. He worked as a peon in an office. On Friday morning, neighbours found him dead. He had vomited and was frothing at the mouth,” Sachin’s brother Macchindra Netke told TOI.
Two Brothers Dead, Father Fighting for Life
On Thursday, two brothers — Vijay and Rajendra Rathod — died at different hospitals. Initially, their father Prakash Rathod told the police that none of them had consumed liquor. However, on Friday morning, Prakash fainted at home. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) in Pimpri. Sarika Vijay Rathod, who lost her husband and brother-in-law, is now worried about her father-in-law, who is battling for his life. “All three used to consume liquor. After the deaths of my husband and his brother, my father-in-law may have become frightened and did not tell the police that they regularly consumed liquor,” Sarika said.
She said May 25 was her wedding anniversary. “My husband, brother-in-law, father-in-law, and my brother had gone to Virka’s house to consume liquor. On Wednesday, my husband, brother-in-law, and brother were at Vishrantwadi for movers and packers work. My husband called and said he was feeling uneasy. I called my brother, who said my husband’s condition had worsened and he was taking him to a hospital,” she said. “We do not know how we will survive now. We were dependent on our husbands. We do not have money for my father-in-law’s treatment,” Sarika added.
When Anand Nikalje (66) fainted in front of his house on Thursday, his daughter Poonam Waghmare rushed him to a hospital. “My father became unconscious in the auto. Doctors declared him dead. He used to consume liquor regularly. We found a pouch of liquor at home and handed it over to the police on Friday,” Poonam said.
Methanol Poisoning Behind Slew of Deaths
Relatives of the victims said the latter had complained of dizziness, breathing difficulties, frothing at the mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, chest pain, and a slowing heartbeat. Medical experts said such symptoms are commonly associated with severe methanol poisoning. Dr Yellapa Jadhav, medical superintendent at Sassoon General Hospital, said, “Four patients arrived at the casualty ward with severe symptoms of acute gastroenteritis, loss of consciousness, and metabolic acidosis. One patient was brought dead, while the other three rapidly developed worsening symptoms. We provided the best possible treatment, but they could not be saved and died within three to four hours. We frequently receive alcoholic and liver cirrhosis patients.”
The Hadapsar police on Friday said four people — Rahul Sharad Kshirsagar (45), Arun Vaman Dadar (60), Datta Madhavrao Suryawanshi (55), and Ashok Ramesh Chavan (52), all residents of Pandharemala — died on Wednesday and Thursday. Local residents said an illegal liquor trade network has been operating for several years in areas such as Hadapsar, Kalepadal, Fursungi, Manjari, Ramtekdi, and Phugewadi. Due to easy availability of cheap country liquor, many workers and daily wage earners from economically weaker backgrounds have fallen prey to alcohol addiction.
