Story highlights
Police raid liquor vendors
At least 327 people are hospitalized
Police arrested four suspects
Authorities fear the death toll could rise
Authorities raided liquor vendors in the Indian state of West Bengal Thursday, after at least 133 people died and hundreds of others were sickened from drinking moonshine, according a health official.
At least 327 people were hospitalized. Many people were in critical condition and S.P. Basak, the director of the West Bengal health department, feared the death toll could rise.
Police arrested four people suspected of selling the illegally-brewed, cheap liquor, said Officer M. Das. Authorities sealed off a factory believed to be making the hooch.
The victims, mostly poor villagers, bought the 200-milliliter (7-fluid-ounce) pouches of moonshine for about 10 cents each, Nigam said. The cheapest brands of liquor produced legitimately cost about 70 cents for a 600-milliliter bottle.