NEW DELHI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- In a fresh incident of spurious liquor consumption in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, at least six people were killed and five were ill, officials said Wednesday.
The incident took place in Ghatampur area of Kanpur district, about 126 km west of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh.
"So far six people have died because of the consumption of spurious liquor in Ghatampur area," a senior police official Anant Deo said.
Local government officials said two persons died on Saturday, one on Sunday and three others on Tuesday.
"Five people are still being treated in hospital," a health official said.
According to Deo, the liquor was being sold on the retail shops in the area.
"It has come to our notice that the retail shop owners used to bring hooch from the liquor shops and then sell it on their shops," he said.
Deo said they have rushed police teams to the area to search the shops selling liquor and caution people not to purchase any country-made liquor.
"The teams are searching shops," he said. "They are also making announcements urging people not to buy or consume alcohol purchased from unregistered shops."
Meanwhile, police have registered a case and arrested eight people, besides detained over a dozen others in connection with the deaths.
A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered in the case.
Last month around 100 people died in a hooch tragedy in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, following which authorities in both states suspended several officials and started a crackdown on illicit liquor manufacturing units and sales points.
The hooch tragedy in India's northeastern state of Assam recently claimed over 150 lives, mostly tea garden workers at an estate. Another 200 people were admitted in hospitals.
In December 2011, a hooch tragedy killed 172 people in South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal.
Spurious alcohol deaths are often reported in India, where people often drink cheap country-made bootleg liquor.
