You can relax … it was in India, not on M Street.
Reported in USA Today: Bootleg liquor kills 102 people in India :
Day laborers and other poor workers began falling ill late Tuesday after drinking the brew that was laced with the toxic methanol around the village of Sangrampur,India.
The tragedy began when groups of poor laborers finished work and bought some cheap homemade booze for about 10 rupees (20 cents) a half liter, less than one-third the price of legal alcohol.
The men were drinking along the roadside near the railway station, when they began vomiting, suffering piercing headaches and frothing at the mouth, Nigam said.
The death toll skyrocketed to 102, and dozens more remained hospitalized.
Police arrested four people in connection with making and distributing the methanol-spiked booze.
Highly toxic methanol can be used as a fuel, solvent and anti-freeze. (Ouch !)
Two-thirds of the alcohol consumed in the country is illegal hooch made in remote villages or undocumented liquor smuggled in.
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Despite religious and cultural taboos against drinking among Indians, 5 percent — roughly 60 million people, the population of France — are alcoholics.
Teaching point: “This Bud’s for you” … ok to go goofy, but stay safe
Tags: bootleg liquor, drinking
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