<p>A pall of gloom hangs over the Laxminagar slum locality and neighbouring places of Rathodwadi and Ambujwadi in Malvani, a western suburbs of Mumbai, where several people have died and several others are battling for life after consuming illicit liquor. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Most of the victims are from very poor families, and were construction workers, carpenters, auto-drivers, labourers and daily-wage labourers. <br /><br />Besides, majority of the victims were migrants, as well as sole bread-earners with big families to support. This is slowly compounding into a major social issue.<br /><br />“We have to think it in a big way. Combined, there would be nearly 200 kids whose fathers have died,” said Harish Kumar, a resident of the Laxminagar slums, one of the most affected localities. <br /><br />“People used to drink liquor from the joint, but no one here would have ever thought that this would happen. A majority of those who have died were aged 18-45, which are the main working years of any person,” he said, adding that nearly 20-25 people from the locality have either died or are admitted to hospital.<br /><br />Two brothers from the locality—Dinesh and Kamlesh Kanojia—had died after consuming illicit liquor. “We have lost everything,” said their mother. Rathodwadi-resident Santosh Aher said three persons from his society—Bhavan Shinde, Anil Utekar and Babbu Miya Shaikh—have died. </p>
<p>A pall of gloom hangs over the Laxminagar slum locality and neighbouring places of Rathodwadi and Ambujwadi in Malvani, a western suburbs of Mumbai, where several people have died and several others are battling for life after consuming illicit liquor. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Most of the victims are from very poor families, and were construction workers, carpenters, auto-drivers, labourers and daily-wage labourers. <br /><br />Besides, majority of the victims were migrants, as well as sole bread-earners with big families to support. This is slowly compounding into a major social issue.<br /><br />“We have to think it in a big way. Combined, there would be nearly 200 kids whose fathers have died,” said Harish Kumar, a resident of the Laxminagar slums, one of the most affected localities. <br /><br />“People used to drink liquor from the joint, but no one here would have ever thought that this would happen. A majority of those who have died were aged 18-45, which are the main working years of any person,” he said, adding that nearly 20-25 people from the locality have either died or are admitted to hospital.<br /><br />Two brothers from the locality—Dinesh and Kamlesh Kanojia—had died after consuming illicit liquor. “We have lost everything,” said their mother. Rathodwadi-resident Santosh Aher said three persons from his society—Bhavan Shinde, Anil Utekar and Babbu Miya Shaikh—have died. </p>
