Video: Bengal hooch tragedy toll rises to 98

Thirty-one more people died on Thursday morning, taking the toll in the hooch tragedy at Mograhat in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal to 98. More than 60 people are battling for their lives in several hospitals, official sources said, adding that the casualty figures might go up.

The fresh deaths were reported from various hospitals since early morning, they said, and that of the deaths, seven were reported from Bangur, six from Chhittaranjan and the rest from Diamond Harbour hospitals.

A large number of people were admitted to hospitals on Wednesday night, the sources said, adding that the casualty is likely to go up.

All the people fell ill after consuming spurious liquor from several illegal joints on Thursday. Most of the dead were labourers, rickshaw-pullers and hawkers.

Soon after the incident on Thursday, locals had smashed a liquor manufacturing unit at Mograhat and the joints from where it was being sold at Sangrampur.

The state government had announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who died.

Video: Dipak Chakroborty/Rediff.com