Over 50 fall ill after consuming arrack in Chowluru village

Gauribidanur (Chikkaballapur district): More than 50 labourers took ill after consuming arrack at Chowluru village of Andhra Pradesh, which borders Gauribidanur, on Friday. 

The affected have been admitted at various hospitals in Gauribidanur and Doddaballapur. More than 10 are under treatment at a private hospital in Gauribidanur. Sources said that three are in ICU at a Doddaballapur hospital.

Arrack sale is rampant in the vicinity of Chowluru village. It is said many people from Bengaluru, Doddaballapur and Gauribidanur come to this village for consuming arrack.

A relative of a labourer under treatment said that most of them were admitted at Doddaballpur hospitals after consuming arrack stocked for a long period.

The officials of Excise department of Gauribidanur taluk are now erecting boards warning of penalty of Rs 50,000 and five-year jail term for arrack sale.