55 people died and 142 were hospitalized after drinking counterfeit alcohol.
The death toll from drinking counterfeit liquor in India's Tamil Nadu state has risen to 55, with 142 others still hospitalized due to poisoning, according to the Hindu newspaper.
The incident occurred in Kallakurichi, about 250 km from the provincial capital Chennai. The first reports of deaths from counterfeit alcohol in the area began appearing on June 18th, and the number steadily increased. Following a preliminary investigation, police detained four suspects involved in the sale of counterfeit alcohol and arrested 10 others. The state authorities also suspended the district police chief, a deputy police chief, three inspectors, and three deputy inspectors.
State Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin announced on social media X: "The accused have been arrested. Action has been taken against officials who failed to prevent this. We will deal with them severely. If the public complains about such crimes, we will take action."
