More than 160 people had died after drinking illicit liquor in India's eastern state of Orissa, and doctors said Saturday about 400 others were fighting for their lives in hospitals.
"My guess is that at least 2,000 people would have consumed the liquor. I expect the number of deaths to rise steeply," said one official, who asked not to be named. "The liquor was deadly and whoever consumed it will not survive," said Kiran Mitra, head of the forensic department at Cuttack Hospital.The liquor contained a high percentage of methyl alcohol, poisonous wood alcohol, and was further adulterated to strenghten it.
Most of the victims were from the lowest "untouchables" caste. Many worked as laborers or rickshaw pullers. Five leprosy patients were among the dead.
The victims were rushed to hospitals after suffering convulsions and stomach pains. Several victims went blind before they died. Police said some liquor vendors were paying relatives to cremate the dead instead of telling the authorites.