Adulterated liquor claims at least 14 lives in India's West Bengal

KOLKATA: At least 14 people died and 20 others fell ill after consuming
adulterated liquor in India's eastern Kolkata on Sunday (January 4).

Those who took ill have been admitted to nearby hospitals.

“Two persons died and one person has been admitted in a hospital.
Twenty people are ill,” said Bidur Mondal, a local.

The Police raided shops selling hooch and arrested the shop owners
including three women.

“We cannot tell you the exact figure of deaths at this moment because
more news of death is still coming in. But I can tell you seven persons died. A mother of a person died after she came to know about her son's death. We have arrested three persons so far in this connection,” said Debasis Roy, joint commissioner of police, Kolkata.

Scores of people die in India every year after consuming country made
liquor. Most of the deaths are reported from the eastern and southern parts of the country.

There is a thriving illicit business in India as poor people find it a lot cheaper than legally brewed alcohol.