22 killed after consuming toxic liquor in India

The death toll in the toxic liquor consumption incident in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has risen to 22, officials said Saturday, reported Xinhua.

The incident took place in Aligarh district, about 416 km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.

"So far 22 people have died after consuming toxic liquor here," an official at district magistrate office Aligarh said. "Some of the people who have been hospitalized after complaining illness following consumption of the liquor are undergoing treatment."

According to officials, the victims bought the liquor from the licensed shops on Thursday evening and the deaths took place on Friday.

Authorities have sealed five liquor stores in connection with the incident and suspended some officials from the excise department including the district excise officer Dheeraj Sharma for laxity leading to the tragedy.

The district magistrate has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

"Three separate cases have been registered in three police station areas in cases of deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor," a police official said. "Police teams have been formed to arrest the accused and some people have been detained for questioning."

Officials at the magistrate's office said the government was mulling strict actions against the guilty.

Meanwhile, authorities have seized samples of liquor from the shops and sent them for laboratory examination.

In 2019 around 100 people died in a hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh and neighboring Uttarakhand.

Spurious alcohol deaths are often reported in India, where people often drink cheap country-made bootleg liquor.