At least 34 people have died after drinking toxic illegal alcohol in Tamil Nadu, India. Over 100 others have been rushed to the hospital.
The victims consumed a locally brewed arrack drink that was laced with poisonous methanol.
Tamil Nadu’s chief minister, M.K. Stalin, confirmed the incident. “Arrests have been made over the deaths and warned such crimes ‘ruin society and will be suppressed with an iron fist,’” he said in a statement.
Methanol is often added to increase the potency of the liquor, but it can cause severe health issues, including blindness, liver damage, and death.
M.S. Prasanth, a top government official in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district, confirmed that more than 100 people were hospitalized. State governor R.N. Ravi expressed his shock, stating, “Many more victims are in serious condition battling for their lives.”
India faces a recurring problem with deaths from cheap, illegally brewed alcohol made in backstreet distilleries. In Tamil Nadu, where liquor is legally sold, black market alcohol remains popular due to its lower price.
Last year, 27 people died from poisonous alcohol in Bihar, and in 2022, at least 42 people died in Gujarat from similar incidents.
