40 fall ill after drinking spurious toddy

Pudukkottai: Around 40 people fell ill after consuming spurious toddy near Vadakadu in Pudukkottai in the past few days.Police said the affected individuals experienced symptoms such as vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhea after consuming toddy laced with unknown substances. While several of them were admitted to govt hospitals, many others sought treatment at private hospitals.Police said for the past four days, toddy had been tapped from roadside palm trees near the Pullanviduthy Mariamman temple in Alangudi taluk and sold at Rs 100 per litre. Many residents from nearby villages such as Vadakadu, Mangadu, Pullanviduthi, and Anavayal bought and consumed it. Vadakadu police inspector Anantha Padmanabhan inspected the site on Sunday and seized pots used for tapping toddy and plastic cans used for distribution. Police have registered a case and are searching for the accused.