Bhubaneswar: Excise Superintendent of Police (SP) Debashish Patel on Wednesday denied allegations that two persons died after consuming spurious liquor in the state capital, asserting that both fatalities were due to pre-existing health conditions.
Speaking to the media, SP Patel stated that a local garage owner, Basudev Das, had hosted a feast on June 4 near the Tankapani Overbridge in Bhubaneswar, which was attended by around 40 to 50 people.
“Among the attendees were two persons with serious health issues. It was raining that day and some participants reportedly consumed alcohol, but the deaths reported later were not linked to the liquor,” he clarified.
Patel detailed the case of Santosh Nayak (40), who died on June 12.
“He was admitted to a private hospital on June 11 with complaints of fever and cough. After initial treatment, he returned home, but his condition deteriorated the next day. Medical tests confirmed that he was suffering from jaundice, high blood sugar, and elevated cholesterol levels. He was subsequently shifted to another hospital where he passed away. The medical and pathology reports do not indicate that his death was caused by liquor consumption,” the SP said.
The second deceased has been identified as Biswajit Beura (26), was admitted to a private hospital on June 14 due to illness. As his condition worsened, he was referred to another hospital on June 16, where he died early on June 17.
“His medical reports revealed that he was suffering from hepatitis, low blood sugar, chronic liver disease (CLD), jaundice, and throat cancer. The cause of death was multiple organ failure due to chronic ailments,” Patel informed.
The Excise SP dismissed reports linking the deaths to spurious liquor as “exaggerated and baseless,” emphasizing that the symptoms commonly associated with toxic liquor consumption were not found in either case.
“Our investigation is ongoing and we have requested the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to conduct a detailed probe. The allegations against a particular liquor shop are also being investigated to verify their authenticity,” he added.
Patel also provided an update on others who were reportedly unwell after the feast.
“Basudev Das, the host, is currently undergoing treatment for cerebral malaria and is in stable condition. Another person has been identified as Tulu, is also receiving medical care,” he said.
