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Indian toxic alcohol 'kills 96' | Indian toxic alcohol 'kills 96' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
At least 96 people are now known to have died in India's Gujarat state after drinking toxic illegal alcohol, police say. | At least 96 people are now known to have died in India's Gujarat state after drinking toxic illegal alcohol, police say. |
Labourers in the city of Ahmedabad were admitted to hospital on Tuesday after drinking illegal brew on Monday night. | Labourers in the city of Ahmedabad were admitted to hospital on Tuesday after drinking illegal brew on Monday night. |
Authorities fear that this might not be the final death toll as dozens more people have been admitted to hospital. | |
Most of the dead are slum dwellers. Deaths from illegally brewed alcohol are common in South Asia. | Most of the dead are slum dwellers. Deaths from illegally brewed alcohol are common in South Asia. |
Police raided various areas of Ahmedabad after the incident. A number of arrests are reported to have been made and the state government says six police officers have been suspended for negligence. | |
Last year, about 150 people died from drinking tainted alcohol in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. | Last year, about 150 people died from drinking tainted alcohol in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. |
Illegally brewed alcohol is readily found across India and is popular because it is cheap and said to be stronger than legal brews. | Illegally brewed alcohol is readily found across India and is popular because it is cheap and said to be stronger than legal brews. |
But it is often laced with chemicals and pesticides in an attempt to boost its strength and has often caused people to die. | But it is often laced with chemicals and pesticides in an attempt to boost its strength and has often caused people to die. |
Gujarat is a "dry" state where the sale of alcohol is banned. | |
It was the home state of India's independence leader, Mohandas Gandhi, who was a strong advocate of prohibition. |