At least 34 individuals have died in Tamil Nadu, India, from toxic illegal alcohol, with over 100 hospitalized on Thursday.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reported that the fatal arrack drink was tainted with methanol, according to the Press Trust of India.
Stalin announced four arrests related to the deaths, condemning the acts as harmful to society and vowing strict action.
Illicit distilleries in India produce cheap alcohol that causes hundreds of deaths yearly. Such drinks, often spiked with methanol, can lead to blindness, liver damage, and death.
M.S. Prasanth, a senior official in Kallakurichi district, noted that over 100 victims receive hospital treatment.
Though Tamil Nadu allows legal alcohol sales, illicit markets thrive, offering cheaper alternatives. In regions with alcohol bans, illegal trade in dangerous moonshine persists.
Previous incidents include a mass poisoning in Bihar last year with 27 fatalities and another in Gujarat in 2022, killing 42.
