Hooch claims 7 lives in West Bengal

Hooghly (

), Nov 14: Seven persons have died after drinking illicit

at Payradanga village in this district, police said on Tuesday, Nov 13.

About 20 villagers drank liquor on Sunday night and fell sick, following which they were brought to Panduah rural hospital.

After their condition deteriorated, they were shifted to the Imambara Sadar Hospital at Chinsurah. While one person died on way to Chinsurah, two others died during treatment there, officials said.

As some of the other villagers' condition worsened, they were referred to the Kolkata Medical College Hospital where four died this morning, they said. Seven villagers are still admitted at the Imambara Sadar Hospital.

Police today arrested three persons -- a man, his son and a relative of them -- of Payradanga village from whom the liquor had been bought.

The victims were aged between 25 and 40, sources said. Last December, 143 people had died after consuming illicit liquor in South 24 Parganas district of the state.

PTI