ONGOLE: In a major tragedy, two persons died and another person is battling for life after they consumed cheap liquor at Kandukur in Prakasam district on Thursday morning.

Excise and police officials collected samples from all liquor shops in Kandukur and sent them for chemical analysis. They directed the shop-keepers not to sell cheap liquor till further orders.

The victims -- Bapatla China Brahmaiah, 28, and Potluri Venkatakrishna, 33, belonging to Scheduled Tribes - were electricians. They made arrangements for illumination during a village fair at Pedacherolopalli on Wednesday night and returned to Kandukur. After receiving their wages, they bought some cheap liquor from a shop and consumed it in their shop. Another person, Sagar, joined them later. He tasted the liquor, found it too bitter and so refused to consume it. But the victims emptied the quarter bottle and fell unconscious. They were rushed to the government hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.

Sagar, who also fell unconscious, was admitted to a private hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.

Liquor seized

Additional Superintendent of Police Seshagiri Rao seized cheap liquor and also Mc Dowell whisky bottles at random from all the shops to find out whether there was any adulteration or contamination in them. The police also seized some brew left over by the victims. As the bottle cap is missing, police are not able to find out the batch number to ascertain the shop from where they had purchased it.

Kandukur MLA M. Mahidhara Reddy consoled the bereaved families and paid Rs. 10,000 each from his pocket. District Collector B. Udaya Lakshmi also sanctioned Rs. 5,000 each.

Mr. Mahidhara Reddy came down heavily on excise officials for lack of proper supervision on the wine shops which formed into syndicates and sold illicit brew playing havoc with the lives of consumers.

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