By IANS,
Bangalore/Hosur (Tamil Nadu) : Twenty people died Sunday and 11 others were in a serious condition after drinking spurious liquor in two separate incidents in Karnataka and neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Twelve people died and eight were seriously ill after drinking liquor in Kolar district of Karnataka, about 68 km from here, the police said.
Five people lost their lives in Narasapura village and five in Teykal village, Kolar police told reporters.
Five people have been arrested for the incident, the police said.
In the other incident, eight people including three women died after drinking spurious liquor during a funeral ritual Sunday in a Tamil Nadu village bordering Karnataka, a government official said.
Narasapura residents blocked roads in the area, alleging failure on the part of authorities to check manufacture and supply of spurious liquor. Kolar police superintendent Seemant Kumar Singh visited the spot and pacified the protesters by promising them action to curb sale of spurious liquor.
Dalit residents of a Tamil Nadu’s Anaikaal village, located across the border in Karnataka, consumed liquor in the early hours Sunday during the 13th-day rituals of a funeral.
Three died after consuming what is suspected to be poisonous rectified spirit. Soon five others succumbed to the intoxicant, said S. Nagarajan, the revenue officer in charge of Krishnagiri district.
An investigation headed by superintendent of police P.C. Thenmozhi has been ordered, the official added.
The remaining spurious liquor was seized and sent for examination. The condition of three people, including a woman, was serious, the official said.