At least 70 people have died and more than 200 are being treated in hospital after drinking toxic bootleg alcohol in north-eastern India, officials say. The first victims died on Thursday, the administrator of the Golaghat district in Assam, Dhiren Hazarika, is quoted as saying by Agence France-Press. Golaghat district Superintendent of Police Pushkar Singh told the BBC that 58 people in the district died from drinking the illegal alcohol. One worker who is undergoing treatment at Golaghat Hospital told the BBC that he had been at a tea plantation on Thursday. His wife then took him to the tea plantation hospital, and he was then referred to the district hospital.

Source: The Star February 23, 2019 11:26 UTC