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At least 28 people have died from consuming illicit or toxic liquor in Botad district of India’s western state Gujarat.
Besides, several dozens of people were undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the incident.
The liquor was made from the highly poisonous methyl alcohol, Gujarat Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia told reporters in Gandhinagar, reports NDTV.
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The matter had come to light early Monday when some people living in Rojid village in Botad and other surrounding villages were referred to government hospitals in Barvala area and Botad towns after their condition started deteriorating.
"Twenty eight people have so far died after consuming the spurious liquor. Of them, 22 belonged to various villages in Botad district while six were from neighbouring Ahmedabad district," Bhatia said.
More than 45 people have been admitted to hospitals in Bhavnagar, Botad and Ahmedabad, he said.
"A forensic analysis has established that the deceased consumed methyl alcohol,” he said.
Bhatia said three first information reports (FIRs) have been registered against 14 people on charges of murder and other offences, and most of them have been detained.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Ahmedabad crime branch have also joined the investigation.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is on a visit to Gujarat where the Assembly polls are due later this year, on Monday alleged that illegal liquor is being sold in large quantities in Gujarat where prohibition is in place.
He alleged that people selling illicit liquor are enjoying political protection and demanded a probe into the "trail" of money generated by selling liquor.
