Dozens of deaths .. the death toll from “wood alcohol” rises in India

At least 10 more people have died in the western Indian state of Gujarat after drinking fake alcohol, government officials said on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 38.

Police launched investigations and arrested six people after 51 people were taken to hospitals on Monday in Ahmedabad and Butad districts of the state, in addition to the deaths.

“Last night some people who were taken to hospital died and they were in serious condition,” police official Ashok Kumar Yadav told Reuters.

“They drank methyl alcohol, which was almost undiluted, thinking it was an alcoholic drink,” he added.
The sale and drinking of alcohol is banned in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, where only those with official government permits can drink.

Deaths from illegally produced liquor are common in India, where few drinkers have the ability to buy branded drinks.

Methyl alcohol, also known as wood alcohol, is unfit for human use and is mainly used as a thinner in paints or as a fuel.