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Toxic Illegal Alcohol Kills 34 in India

Written by Jerry Alomatu on June 20, 2024

News Views: 314

A batch of toxic illegal alcohol has claimed the lives of at least 34 people in Tamil Nadu, India, with more than 100 others hospitalized, according to state officials. The deadly mix, identified as locally brewed arrack, was laced with poisonous methanol, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reported, as per the Press Trust of India news agency.

Stalin announced that arrests had been made in connection with the deaths and warned that such criminal activities, which “ruin society,” would be “suppressed with an iron fist.” Methanol, often used to increase the potency of illicit liquor, can cause blindness, liver damage, and death.

Hundreds of people in India die annually from consuming cheap alcohol produced in backstreet distilleries. In the Tamil Nadu incident, over 100 individuals were rushed to hospitals, as confirmed by M.S. Prasanth, a top government official in the Kallakurichi district.

State Governor R.N. Ravi expressed his shock and concern over the deaths and the condition of those still battling for their lives, stating on social media platform X that “many more victims are in serious condition.”

Tamil Nadu is not a dry state, but the black market for alcohol, driven by the lower prices of illicit liquor compared to legally sold alcohol, remains a significant issue. In other parts of India where alcohol is banned, the black market for potent and sometimes lethal moonshine thrives.

Last year, at least 27 people died from consuming poisonous alcohol in Bihar, and in 2022, at least 42 fatalities were reported in Gujarat due to similar incidents.