(Patna) At least 27 people have died after consuming adulterated alcohol in the state of Bihar (eastern India), where alcohol is prohibited, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The sale and consumption of alcohol is banned in several parts of India, fostering a strong and sometimes deadly black market in craft alcohol. Hundreds of people die every year from poisoning with adulterated alcohol.
According to a police official, Jitender Kumar, 27 deaths have been recorded since Saturday.
Most of the victims were from poor backgrounds and used to drink cheap locally made alcohol known as “Desi Daru”, he added.
Some local media reported instead that the drink had caused the death of 40 people.
Early data from the investigation showed that the drink contained methanol. Police have arrested 174 people in the past three days for the illegal manufacture, sale and supply of alcohol.
She also seized and destroyed more than 900 liters of adulterated alcohol during her searches.
Local authorities are going to great lengths to crack down on the black market, using drones, helicopters and speedboats.
Last December in the same state, 37 people died of alcohol poisoning.
