Gujarat hooch tragedy: Toll rises to 13 as two more die during treatment

The death toll due to the consumption of impure liquor in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district has risen to 13 on August 23, 2026, following the demise of two victims during treatment, officials announced. Three others remain hospitalized. In the previous two days, five lives were lost. Mukesh Damor, 36, and Bhargav Upadhyay, 42, are the latest casualties, bringing the total number of fatalities to 13.

Upadhyay was receiving treatment at a private hospital, while Damor was admitted to a civil hospital. Police report that 67 individuals had ingested the liquor, which contained methanol, a lethal substance. Gujarat, a dry state, prohibits the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcohol. Authorities discovered that the victims consumed spurious liquor, packaged in bottles imprinted with a popular Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) brand.

Twenty-four additional individuals who consumed the liquor have undergone medical examination; all are reported to be in good health. The death toll presently stands at 13. Police have apprehended 13 of the 21 accused named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered at Vartej police station in connection with the hooch tragedy.

The accused have been charged with offenses such as culpable homicide and adulteration. A local court granted the arrested individuals police custody for a period of 10 days on August 20, 2026. The investigation has been transferred to the State Monitoring Cell, a specialized Gujarat police unit responsible for tracking illicit liquor and gambling activities throughout the state.

The hooch was allegedly concocted at Gautam Solanki's residence in Vartej, with the assistance of Raees, who is currently in custody in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. The illicit liquor was packaged and sealed in bottles bearing the label of an IMFL brand before being distributed to bootleggers for sale. The incident came to light after three friends consumed the liquor in Vartej on August 16, leading to illness among them.

One of the victims, Upendrasinh Gohil, succumbed to the toxic effects. Blood tests revealed the presence of methanol in Gohil's sample. Further deaths ensued, and many more were hospitalized with severe complications. The toxic liquor contained 38.59% methanol and 0.94% ethanol, according to the findings of the Forensic Science Laboratory.

Solanki informed the police that he met Raees through a mutual acquaintance. Raees and his assistant, Zuber, sourced raw materials from Ahmedabad and prepared the toxic liquor at Solanki's residence, as per the FIR registered at Vartej police station on August 19. Narendra Yadav, also from Madhya Pradesh, was involved in the illegal enterprise.

Yadav, it was later revealed, died after consuming the liquor he had prepared himself. Police teams have been dispatched to Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, where the raw materials were likely procured and supplied to Gujarat. Initial reports suggest that most individuals engaged in this activity for financial gain, according to police. Authorities are also investigating the source of the bottle-sealing equipment and its supplier.