Addicted to spiked toddy, Telangana migrants suffer abroad

HYDERABAD: At least 50 individuals from Telangana who recently migrated to the UAE have gone untraceable after experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms linked to adulterated toddy addiction, activists revealed.These individuals, primarily from Nizamabad and neighbouring regions, are believed to have developed dependencies on chemically-laced toddy back home. Many are unaware that the illicitly spiked drink is addictive and harmful.“Once they reach the UAE, where toddy is unavailable, they begin to suffer from mental health issues and withdrawal complications. Some end up quitting their jobs, while others vanish altogether,” said Mandha Bheem Reddy, vice president of the Telangana government’s NRI Advisory Committee.“There have even been reports of deaths after prolonged withdrawal. Families often contact us for help, but in many cases, the individuals remain missing, and we fear the worst,” he added.Mix behind addictionActivists warn that what many consider a traditional fermented drink is often adulterated with chemicals. These include alprazolam, chloroform, diazepam, and even substances found in pesticides, all of which have health implications and can cause dependency. “Most toddy drinkers don’t realise that they are consuming a synthetic cocktail. They believe it’s natural, but many shops don’t even source it from trees,” said Chegondi Chandrasekhar, founder of the campaign Dawat Without Daaru (dine without drinks).“Instead, these shops mix harmful substances to boost quantity and profit. It’s time to ban such outlets and raise public awareness,” he said.According to Chandrasekhar, many toddy outlets register as cooperative societies just to gain legal access to toddy trees but later bypass natural extraction.K Venkat Goud, who works with toddy tappers, echoed concerns about the regulatory failure. “There are plenty of toddy trees in Telangana, but there’s no real check on whether the toddy being sold actually comes from them.Paper permissions are often misused, and there’s minimal field-level monitoring,” he said. “The excise department must be more vigilant. Without proper checks, this menace will only grow,” he warned.