Scores die from tainted illegal liquor

More than 170 people in India have died after consuming illegal home-brewed liquor and around 90 remain in critical condition, officials said. Local officials say 12 people have been arrested so far for allegedly brewing and distributing the tainted liquor in the village of Sangrampur in West Bengal, Voice of America reported Friday. The Indian government said it had suspended Rajeshwar Pandey, an excise officer for the region, for "not conducting raids properly" against illegal liquor dens. Despite the arrests the prime suspects, all known bootleggers, remained at large, the Times of India reported. The victims, mostly masons, small farmers and laborers, had visited illegal liquor dens near Sangrampur railway station Tuesday night. The victims started vomiting and collapsing soon after, officials said. The liquor had been mixed with a toxic chemical that has yet to be positively identified, authorities said, although methanol was detected in at least some of the victims.