Visakhapatnam: Three persons died while eleven residents from the same colony are battling for life after consuming a chemical liquid mistaking it for "Vippa saara ", a kind of toddy in Visakhapatnam. The incident took place at Swatantra Nagar ST Colony under Gajuwaka PS limits. They had consumed the said liquid on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The colony members eked out a living collecting scrap in the nearby areas. As per reports, Vadapalli Anakamma had found 20 litres black can filled with some liquid near a dumping yard. She opened the lid and smelt and thought it was toddy and took the can home. She gave it to her father-in-law Vadapalli Appadu and his sister Appayamma and also to 20 members living in the same colony.

On Sunday morning, they found Appayyamma dead and they thought it was a natural death due to old age. After performing the final rites of Appayyamma, the group again consumed the remaining liquid in the black plastic can. By Sunday evening, V Kondodu and Appadu had severe motions and vomiting and died. Meanwhile, 11 others also started suffering from the same symptoms. Sensing something was wrong, the family members of the victims informed the police and Gajuwaka ACP Pravinkumar and CI K Rama Rao reached the spot to enquire about the incident. After inquiry, the police shifted the 11 victims to King George Hospital and sent the bodies of Kondodu and Appadu to the mortuary.

Out of the eleven members admitted, the health condition of Chinna Rao and Ramanamma is said to be critical and are in the ICU ward. Remaining patients are undergoing treatment at the KGH emergency ward are said to be stable.

Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao, YSRCP leaders and Gajuwaka YSRCP Convenor Tippala Nagireddy also visited the victims and enquired about their health. District Collector K Bhaskar along district administrative officers visited the victims at KGH, enquired about their health, and offered them support as well.

Gajuwaka Police registered a case and investigation is on. The samples of consumed liquid were collected by the police and excise department officials and sent for chemical analysis tests.

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