A batch of illegal toxic alcohol in India has resulted in the deaths of at least 34 individuals, with over 100 others rushed to hospitals, Tamil Nadu state officials informed reporters on Thursday. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin stated that the deadly concoction, a locally brewed arrack tainted with poisonous methanol, led to the fatalities, as reported by the Press Trust of India news agency.
Stalin announced arrests in connection with the deaths and emphasized that such crimes “corrode society and will be dealt with firmly,” according to a statement from his office.
Each year, hundreds of people in India die due to consumption of cheap alcohol produced in illicit distilleries.
To boost its potency, this liquor is often adulterated with methanol, which can cause blindness, liver damage, and death. In the Tamil Nadu incident, over 100 individuals were hospitalized, according to M.S. Prasanth, a senior government official in Kallakurichi district, quoted in Indian media. State Governor R.N. Ravi expressed deep shock over the deaths and noted that many more victims were in critical condition, fighting for their lives, in a post on the social media platform X.
While Tamil Nadu is not a dry state, the underground sale of alcohol at lower prices than legal outlets is common. In other parts of India where the sale and consumption of liquor are prohibited, a thriving black market exists for potent and sometimes deadly moonshine.
Last year, toxic alcohol claimed the lives of at least 27 people in one incident in Bihar, while in 2022, at least 42 deaths were reported in Gujarat due to similar poisoning incidents.
