Hyderabad:Even as the investigation continues into the Kukatpally adulterated toddy case, which has already claimed seven lives, a couple from Nizamabad district began behaving abnormally after allegedly consuming toddy from a shop in Ramreddinagar, Jeedimetla.
The couple — Lacchiram and Sakribai from Manchippa village — had arrived in the city on Saturday to visit their daughter Rekha at Gajularamaram. As regular consumers of toddy directly tapped from trees in their village, they purchased toddy from a local shop under the Qutubullapur excise station limits. Soon after consumption, they reportedly started showing signs of paranoia, repeatedly insisting that someone was trying to kill them and that stray dogs were attacking them.
Despite being reassured of their safety, the couple remained agitated and even attempted to leave the house suddenly by opening the main doors. Alarmed by their behaviour, Rekha first took them to a clinic and later to Gandhi Hospital for further evaluation. Speaking to reporters, she said her parents had visited the city on earlier occasions but had never experienced anything like this, leaving the family deeply disturbed.
Qutubullapur excise inspector Yadaiah said toddy samples from the Ramreddinagar shop were collected on Monday in the presence of police and sent for chemical analysis. “We can confirm whether the toddy was adulterated only after receiving the lab report,” he said. Following the Kukatpally tragedy, the prohibition and excise department had earlier seized three toddy shops in Hydernagar, Shamshiguda and SP Nagar and launched further investigations.
Meanwhile, the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims) said in a statement that it has admitted 36 patients so far with symptoms linked to toddy consumption. Of them, 23 are currently under treatment, while 13 have been discharged over the past three days. Seven more patients, who are clinically stable, were discharged on Monday. The hospital said an expert multispecialty team is closely monitoring the situation.