Five taken ill after drinking spurious toddy in Sundergarh

Sundergrah: At least five persons including a minor boy were taken ill after consuming spurious toddy at Satakuta village under Bonai police station in Sundergarh district late last night.

According to reports, the five complained of vomiting and severe headache a few hours after drinking toddy in an outlet near the village in the evening.

All of them were initially rushed to Bonai Sun-Divisional Hospital and later shifted to Rourkela Hospital after their condition deteriorated.

Meanwhile, the relatives of the victims alleged that local traders are illegally selling toddy in the region and despite several complaints, no action has been taken by the excise department.

Durgacharan Sahoo, a relative of one of the victims alleged, “The officials of excise department are accepting bribe from the toddy traders and leaving them.”

Similar allegations were leveled by one Jaydev Sahu who said, “Though the excise officials are conducting raids, they are leaving the toddy sellers after taking bribe from them.”