53 Tea Garden Workers Dead After Consuming Spurious Liquor in Assam, Govt Orders Probe

February 22, 2019

Fifty three tea garden workers died after they consumed spurious liquor in Assam’s Golaghat district, after receiving their weekly wages. Several others have been admitted in a critical condition at the Jorhat Medical College Hospital and at the Golaghat civil hospital.

The deaths come less than two weeks after more than 100 people died after drinking bootleg alcohol in northern India.

At least seven women were among the dead at the plantation, 310 km from the state's capital Guwahati.
According to locals, the workers at Salmara tea garden had consumed the liquor on Thursday evening and four women died soon after. In the next 12 hours, eight more deaths were reported. The toll has now touched 53.

Police have arrested the owners of the illegal country-made liquor factory in Jugibaari area near the garden. The accused have been identified as Indukalpa Bordoloi and Deba Bora. Police are on the lookout for more persons involved in bootlegging spurious liquor.

“We have already arrested two, and are looking for more accused,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Partha Pratim Saikia.

Locals said a glass of illicit liquor is sold for Rs 10 to Rs 20 in the area. The liquor vendor, Sanju Orang and his mother Draupadi Orang, died after consuming the tainted alcohol.