At least 21 people have died and 10 others are hospitalised after consuming toxic homemade alcohol in Amritsar district, Punjab, Indian authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The victims reportedly drank liquor spiked with methanol — a toxic substance often used to increase the potency of illegally brewed alcohol. Such adulteration can cause blindness, liver failure, and death.
The incident occurred late Monday in a village in northern India’s Punjab state, a region that has witnessed repeated tragedies linked to moonshine consumption.
According to a statement by the district’s public relations officer, the current death toll stands at 21, with several others receiving treatment in hospital.
Nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident, Punjab police confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding that an investigation is ongoing to fully expose the network behind the illicit alcohol operation.
“We are committed to bringing all those involved to justice,” the police said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also vowed that those responsible would face strict punishment.
India continues to grapple with fatalities linked to illicit alcohol. In 2023, at least 53 people died in a similar incident in Tamil Nadu. Hundreds are killed each year due to consumption of unsafe, unregulated liquor from backstreet distilleries.
