Apart from the steady loss of lives in the hooch tragedy, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital in the eastern Assam district is witnessing scenes of pandemonium in which a few patients severely affected by the toxic hooch they had consumed are screaming to go back home, rushing out and being forcefully caught and brought back to their beds by nurses and ward boys.
Also read: Assam: Hooch tragedy death toll rises to 143, hundreds undergoing treatment
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Director of medical education Anup Barman said that a few were at risk of suffering from neurological problems for the rest of their lives and some were at risk of losing their eyesight.
Public relations officer doctor Manabjyoti Gohain said that around 160 were undergoing treatment out of which 15 to 16 were critical.
In JMCH, 37 persons belonging to Jorhat had died and in Borholla of the district 20 had died in the past two days, taking the Jorhat district toll to 57.
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Another 38 people belonging to Golaghat district had died till date in JMCH.
As the toll nearly touched 150 on the fourth day, that is Sunday, of the hooch tragedy in the two districts of Jorhat and Golaghat, the police have conducted raids in several places of Titabar sub-division and arrested three persons.
According to a police source though three arrests have been made, the main accused Jitu Sonowal and his brother Rajesh Sonowal who were the distributors of the adulterated liquor at Bajalikota, are absconding.
The police source said that the liquor had not been manufactured at Bajalikota but had brought from outside, most likely from Merapani in Golaghat district by the two brothers, who had distributed it in the district.
Saurav Bora, deputy superintendent, community health centre, Borholla said that 1,800 patients had been checked at the CHC and those who were in need of better treatment had been referred to JMCH.
Six ambulances were plying to and from the CHC and JMCH, taking the ill and bringing the dead.
The manpower at the CHC has also been strengthened with three more doctors and five more nurses administering to the affected. The CHC earlier had four doctors.
“A fear psychosis has gripped the people. Many without symptoms or who have not consumed the liquor are thronging the CHC to be checked making things more difficult to control,” a doctor said.
Meanwhile, Titabar SDPO Subhrajyoti Bora is camping at Borholla Police Station from Saturday monitoring the investigation and conducting several operations to smash illicit liquor dens.