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Hubballi, Apr 20: Dejected over failure to get alcohol for almost one month, a forty-five year old man and his sister died after consuming hand sanitizer in Kalghatgi taluk of Dharwad district on Sunday.

The deceased persons, identified as Basavaraj Venkappa Kuruvinkoppa and Jambavva Kattimani (50) of little hamlet Gambyapur, died at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS).

The wife of the deceased person has lodged a complaint at Kalghatgi police station stating that her husband had been addicted to alcohol since the last 10-12 years.

Basavaraj and his sister have reportedly consumed hand sanitizer several times since the last 2-3 days, severely deteriorating their health as they felt it is replacement for liquor and has high levels of spirit content.

They were admitted to KIMS only by Sunday early morning after complaining of serious pain in the stomach. The KIMS director Dr Ramalingappa Anthartani said that the deceased appears to have consumed too much sanitizer and the doctors couldn't save their life as they approached the hospital very late.

He also claimed that he is awaiting the postmortem report to know how much quantity of hand sanitizer the deceased had consumed.

"Condition of the patients was very critical when they were admitted to KIMS hospital. It seems that they had drunk too much hand sanitizer for non-availability of liquor. Consumption of hand sanitizer could prove fatal as it has high chemical contents" KIMS director Dr Ramalingappa Anthartani said

The Karnataka government has prohibited the sale of liquor ever since the Centre declared lockdown to control the spread of Coronavirus. This has prompted the alcohol addicts to buy liquor by paying hefty prices in the black market.

But, many poor people in villages have started consuming cheaper hooch and this trade has recently flourished in the rural areas.

Hooch trade has also prompted officials of the excise department to conduct raids in several villages of North Karnataka region. The many theft cases of liquor shops are reported in Karnataka as drunkards have become desperate to get alcohol.

The Karnataka government was planning to allow the sale of liquor after the end of the first phase of lockdown. But, the rising cases of Corona positive cases has prompted it to extend the ban on liquor sale until May 3.

In a shocking incident, a pharmacist-cum-production manager of an Ayurvedic product company in Chennai’s T.Nagar died after drinking a chemical preparation he reportedly formulated for tackling the Coronavirus.

The managing director of the company, who is an ophthamologist by qualification, was hospitalised after he fainted soon after he ingested the chemical component.

The deceased, K.Sivanesan, 47, of Perungudi, was with Chennai-based Sujatha Biotech, an Ayurvedic and herbal products company which was founded 30 years ago. It has a plant in Kashipur, Uttarakhand, where Sivanesan was working. Sivanesan had devised formulas of various products and used to visit his managing director Dr. Rajkumar frequently in the city.

Due to the lockdown, Sivanesan came to Chennai and stayed with his family in Perungudi. On Thursday morning, he procured the chemical component from a market in Parry’s Corner.

First he gave a small amount powder he derived from the chemical to 67 years-old Rajkumar who fainted after tasting it.

Even as he was being resuscitated, Sivanesan went into the kitchen of the house and gulped it in liquid form after adding water to it. He could not be revived.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, T.Nagar, Ashok Kumar, said, “Our investigation revealed that Sivanesan died after drinking the preparation he claimed would help COVID-19 patients. His managing director fainted after tasting it initially. Further investigation is on.”

Sivanesan was rushed to a private hospital in T.Nagar and declared dead by the doctors there. Later his body was shifted to Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem. Teynampet police registered a case under section 174 of Criminal Procedure Code for unnatural death.

N.S.Vasan, designer-cum-media manager of the company said, “Due to the lockdown, Sivanesan stayed in the city and one day told us he heard of some medicine from U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent speech for curing Coronavirus. He said it would bring more immunity and help to prevent COVID-19. Deciding to test the effect of the medicine, he went to Parry’s Corner and bought the powder.” He added that Sivanesan must have taken a heavy dosage of the ‘drug’ and he was killed instantly.

New Delhi, Apr 29: Karnataka is likely to withdraw the case filed against a CRPF commando who was arrested by state police officials for alleged assault on them during COVID-19 lockdown duty in Belgaum, a charge contested by the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force.

In a bid to diffuse the ongoing tussle between CRPF and Karnataka police, the official communication sent to CRPF headquarters on Tuesday, with the details of bail granted to CRPF jawan Sunil Sachin Sawant, stated that the issue was discussed with the DGP Karnataka and other senior state authorities with a request to withdraw the case.

According to official communication, Karnataka Director General of Police has assured top CRPF officers that the "case registered against CRPF CoBRA commando is likely to be withdrawn by the state authorities".

The communication also states that "they assured that the criminal case registered against constable of 207 CoBRA BN is likely to be withdrawn by the state authority."

A CRPF CoBRA commando was thrashed and dragged to police station barefoot by police on April 23 for allegedly violating lockdown norms and assaulting/deterring public servant from discharging his duty in Belgavi district of Karnataka. A case was also registered against him.

This is not the first time when the state is showing efforts to solve the matter amicably.

Karnataka culture and tourism minister CT Ravi had also tweeted on April 27 claiming that he had a word with two ministers including state deputy chief minister who 'confirmed that the issue will be resolved amicably'

"Unfortunate that this incident happened with a CRPF Commando and the police. I have spoken with Industries Minister @JagadishShettar and Transport Minister @LaxmanSavadi. Both have confirmed that the issue will be resolved amicably," CT Ravi had tweeted.

CRPF Additional Director General (ADG) Sanjay Arora had also written to DG showing his displeasure over the ill-treatment done by Karnataka police with CRPF jawan and had said that "Keeping in view the gravity of the incident and its impact on the relationship between the two police forces, I am desired by the Director-General CRPF to request you to kindly get the matter inquired and provide justice. We would be thankful if you could inform us of the outcome."

Arora, in his letter, had also said that Karnataka police should have informed the force before registering a case.

The CRPF CbBRA commando was on extended leave and cleaning his motorcycle in front of his house in Examba city when he was allegedly manhandled and ill-treated in front of his family members and paraded to the police station barefoot, where he was kept in chains and handcuff.

The commando was granted bail by a court on Tuesday in the matter.

Sunil Sachin Sawant has been involved in various anti-Naxals operations and is a part of the CRPF elite CoBRA force, which is famous for doing anti-Naxals operations and has eliminated hundreds of Naxals in the past few years.