The death toll in the hooch tragedy in three districts of Punjab has risen to 98, officials told The Hindu on Sunday.
At least 98 people have died over the past over three days — 75 in Tarn Taran, 12 in Amritsar rural and 11 in Gurdaspur’s Batala town, allegedly after consumption of spurious liquor.
“So far 75 people have died in Tarn Taran,” said its Deputy Commissioner Kulwant Singh. Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ishfaq said 11 deaths had been reported in Batala city.
“In Amritsar district, 12 persons died so far. One person is undergoing treatment,” said Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira.
The police have so far arrested 25 persons in more than 100 raids in the three affected districts, along with several other places in and around the Rajpura and Shambhu border.
According to the Excise Commissioner, though reports of the chemical analysis of the material seized in various raids are yet to come, a preliminary check showed that the material was denatured spirit, generally used in the paint and hardware industries.
