Indian among 15 dead after consuming spurious liquor in Malaysia

An Indian was among 15 people, mostly foreigners, who have died after consuming poisonous liquor and canned beer in Malaysia, media reports said Tuesday.

The death toll may rise as 33 others have been admitted to hospitals, many in critical condition, with suspected poisoning, The Sun Daily reported.

The suspected alcohol poisoning killed 15 people in several townships in the Klang Valley, 33 kms from the Malaysian capital, it said.

Although it is believed that the victims had suffered alcohol poisoning, police are awaiting post-mortem reports to determine the cause of death, senior police chief Commissioner Datuk Mazlan Mansor said.

The consumers are believed to have purchased the lethal drink from liquor shops in the Valley on Monday, it said.

An Indian, four Nepalis and a Bangladeshi are among those who have been killed. The nationalities of others were being ascertained by the police, the report said.

Police are scrambling to trace the origins of the bottled liquor which is believed to have been sold to the liquor shops by a sole supplier, it said.

Sources said it is unknown where the liquor was produced as this was not indicated on the labels.

The investigators have identified two liquor and a beer brand that the victims had consumed.

Police have classified the case as sudden death for now and are carrying out checks at the stores that sold the alcohol.