- At least 36 people have died in India after drinking illegally brewed alcohol
- The drink was contaminated with methanol
- More than a hundred people in Tamil Nadu are being treated
At least 36 people have died and more than 60 people have been treated in hospitals in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu after consuming tainted drinks, a government spokesman said on Thursday.
Since Wednesday, more than 100 people suffering from vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea have required hospital treatment in Kallakurichi district, 240 kilometers by road from the capital Chennai, the spokesman said.
The state government said it had taken disciplinary action against at least 10 officials, including the district’s chief administrative officer and the police chief.
“I was shocked and saddened to hear the news… Action has also been taken against the officials who failed to prevent this,” Tamil Nadu Prime Minister Stalin said in a message on X.
At least 36 people have died and more than sixty people have been treated in hospitals in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu after consuming tainted drinks.
Deaths from illegally produced alcohol, known locally as ‘hooch’ or ‘country liquor’, are common in India
State Chief Minister MK Stalin (pictured) said the 36 people died after consuming alcohol contaminated with methanol
Police have arrested four people over deaths caused by illegally produced alcohol, known locally as ‘hooch’ or ‘country liquor’, which are common in India. Sale of illegal liquor and seizure of 200 liters of the methanol-mixed alcoholic beverage, the state government said.
Deaths from illegally produced alcohol, known locally as ‘hooch’ or ‘country liquor’, are common in India, where many cannot afford branded alcohol.
The Tamil Nadu government said it is also taking steps to identify people involved in the production of methanol, a toxic chemical normally used for industrial purposes.
One video showed health officials carrying patients in ambulances to a hospital, while another shot showed several people standing outside a mortuary in Kallakurichi.
Last year, more than a dozen people were killed in a similar incident in a nearby district of Tamil Nadu.