At a time when there's increasing suicide cases being reported from various parts of the state after liquor sales were stopped in Kerala following the lockdown, a prescription by a doctor advising liquor with peanuts for his patient has gone viral on social media.

Going by the prescription, the doctor has advised the patient to have 60 ml of liquor, three times a day, with soda and roasted peanuts for treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome. As the matter went viral on social media, the excise directed the police to charge a case against Dr M D Renjith in Paravoor, Kochi. The doctor said during the interrogation that he gave the prescription as a joke. He clarified that he did not give anyone such a prescription. He, later, apologized for his act.

Following several people showing acute withdrawal symptoms and suicide cases due to sudden unavailability of alcohol, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had directed the Excise Department to provide liquor to those with a prescription from a doctor and also provide free treatment and such admit people to the de-addiction centers. The government is also considering the option of online sales of liquor.

Meanwhile, the number of people approaching de-addiction centres of excise increased. Reportedly, a total of 282 people were given treatment after liquor shops were closed.