The Porbandar police Saturday registered a case of accidental death after two men died after allegedly consuming an unknown chemical that one of them had retrieved from the sea during a fishing trip on August 2. Meanwhile, the Porbandar police issued an advisory to residents to immediately get treated if they have consumed any unknown chemical and notify the police control room if they come across any unknown chemical. Seven others are currently admitted at the government hospital at Porbandar who had admittedly consumed the chemical, and while “none is serious or critical,” they have been kept in the hospital for observation, according to the police. The two deceased have been identified as one fisherman Suresh alias Supru Boghabhai Jebar, 39, and his neighbour Vitthalbhai Siddi Parmar, 50. Jebar was declared dead at the hospital on the night of August 4 and Parmar died Saturday morning, the police said. S D Salunkhe, a police inspector of Harbour Line police station in Porbandar, told the Indian Express, “On August 2 at around 6 am, Suresh alias Supru and three other fishermen, went to the sea for fishing in their pilana (small boat). According to the statements recorded from the three others who were on the boat, including its owner Rameshbhai Premjibhai Varvariya, at around three nautical miles into the sea, they spotted a white, sealed plastic can drifting in the water. Suresh brought it on board, opened the seal and tasted it and declared that it was tasteless like water, closed the can and kept it on the boat. They then returned to shore at around 12.30-1 pm and went to their homes. Suresh, however, came back and took the can home. He also shared the chemical with his neighbour Vitthalbhai and they both consumed it.” Salunkhe added that the two kept on consuming the liquid since August 2 and Suresh allegedly offered the liquid to three other friends of his on August 4. “The friends, when they consumed it, said their throat hurt and refused to drink any further and also cautioned both Suresh and Vitthalbhai to not consume it,” the police inspector said. On the night of August 4, both Suresh and Vitthalbhai had to be taken to the hospital. Salunkhe said viscera samples of both the deceased have been taken but the prima facie cause of death remains to be ascertained. As per the police, following surveillance activity in Subhashnagar, where the incident took place, seven others who consumed the chemical were admitted to the local hospital. Speaking to media persons Saturday, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Porbandar) Neelam Goswami said the can and leftover chemicals have been seized and sent for forensic analysis.
