📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Gianluca Miscione
Health
13 die in Gujarat hooch tragedy; govt rushes antidote, reopens hospital units
✍️ India Today
🗓 24 Aug 2026, 06:33 PM
👁 2
Thirteen people have died after consuming illicit liquor in Gujarat, prompting the state government to fast‑track the distribution of an antidote and to reopen previously closed hospital wards for treatment.
A sudden surge of deaths linked to spurious liquor has claimed 13 lives in Gujarat, according to health officials. The victims, who reportedly consumed the illicit brew at a private gathering, were rushed to nearby hospitals where many succumbed despite emergency care.
In response, the state health department has mobilised an antidote known to counteract methanol poisoning and is distributing it to all district medical facilities. Officials say the antidote stock has been replenished from central stores and will be made available free of charge to anyone affected.
Additionally, the government has ordered the reopening of several hospital units that were previously closed for renovation, ensuring that more beds are available for patients requiring intensive monitoring and dialysis. Health workers have been briefed on the protocol for administering the antidote and on the signs of toxic alcohol ingestion.
The administration has also launched an awareness drive, urging the public to avoid unlicensed liquor and to report any suspicious sales. Police investigations into the source of the hooch are underway, with a focus on cracking down on illegal distilleries.
The tragedy underscores ongoing concerns about illicit liquor in the state and the need for swift medical response mechanisms to prevent further loss of life.
In response, the state health department has mobilised an antidote known to counteract methanol poisoning and is distributing it to all district medical facilities. Officials say the antidote stock has been replenished from central stores and will be made available free of charge to anyone affected.
Additionally, the government has ordered the reopening of several hospital units that were previously closed for renovation, ensuring that more beds are available for patients requiring intensive monitoring and dialysis. Health workers have been briefed on the protocol for administering the antidote and on the signs of toxic alcohol ingestion.
The administration has also launched an awareness drive, urging the public to avoid unlicensed liquor and to report any suspicious sales. Police investigations into the source of the hooch are underway, with a focus on cracking down on illegal distilleries.
The tragedy underscores ongoing concerns about illicit liquor in the state and the need for swift medical response mechanisms to prevent further loss of life.