Bengal hooch toll rises to 11

The death toll in Saturday's hooch tragedy in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Monday rose to 11, with at least 35 others taken ill, an official said.

"So far 11 people have died since Saturday and at least 35 others have been hospitalized. The post mortem reports are awaited and it appears the deaths have occurred due to hooch," said District Magistrate Antara Acharya.A group of people in the Moyna police station area who consumed liquor on Saturday subsequently started showing signs of nausea and began vomiting and had to be rushed to hospitals.

While four people died on Saturday and Sunday each, three more died on Monday.

"Relatives of those who died on Saturday cremated the bodies without informing the authorities. As post mortem could not be conducted on those bodies it is difficult to establish their cause of death. The administration is carrying out a through probe into the matter," added Acharya.

Meanwhile at least 22 people have been arrested for allegedly being associated with the hooch trade.