Indian toxic alcohol kills many
Indian toxic alcohol kills many
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2009/07/244.jpg Most of the victims are poor slum dwellers
At least two dozen people have died in India's Gujarat state after drinking toxic illegal alcohol, police say.
An equal number of people are undergoing treatment in hospital. Some are reported to be critical.
Police have raided various areas of Ahmedabad, Gujarat's main city, after the incident in the Majur Gam and Odhav areas. No arrests have been made yet.
Most of the dead are poor slum dwellers. Deaths from illegally brewed alcohol are common in South Asia.
Last year, about 150 people died from drinking tainted alcohol in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Illegally brewed alcohol is readily found across India and is popular because it is cheap and said to be stronger than legal brews.
But it is often laced with chemicals and pesticides in an attempt to boost its strength and has often caused people to die.
Gujarat is a "dry" state where sale of alcohol is prohibited.
It is the home state of India's independence leader, Mohandas Gandhi, who was a strong advocate of prohibition.
