More than 50 people died and about 70 fell ill on Wednesday after consuming spurious liquor at Sangrampur in the Diamond Harbour Subdivision of West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district.
“The victims had consumed spurious liquor from an illicit liquor shop at Sangrampur near the Magrahat station. There are more than 40 people who have died….It will be a while before we can come to a final figure as the post-mortem and other processes are still being conducted,” District Magistrate N.S. Nigam told The Hindu.
Thirty-three people were admitted in the Diamond Harbour Subdivision Hospital and the rest in hospitals here, he said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the incident as a social malaise that would have to be curbed through public awareness, rising above political interests. District Chief Medical Officer of Health Sikha Adhikari said the victims died of “cardio-respiratory failure” owing to methyl poisoning.
The government has announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh each to the families of the victims.
