Orissa villagers substitute medicine cocktail for alcohol, 29 killed

BHUBANESWAR (Reuters) - At least 29 people died and about 40 fell sick in Orissa after they consumed cough and cold medicine as a substitute for liquor, officials said on Wednesday.

The victims complained of nausea, vomiting and loss of vision after taking the medicines they had bought from a shop in a village near Cuttack.

The medicine contained a high percentage of alcohol, district magistrate Girish S.N. told Reuters. "They were searching for liquor and since they could not get (it), they consumed it," he said.

"We believe they consumed in excess and substituted the medicines for liquor," he said. Officials are still investigating whether the medicines were contaminated or whether excess consumption caused the deaths.

Police have arrested 10 people in connection with the incident. The factory which produced the medicines has been sealed. More shops are being raided after reports of the medicine being sold in other places.

Authorities first received information about the deaths on Tuesday afternoon. Baidhar Bhoi, who sold the medicines, was the first victim who died, Girish said.

Mass deaths from drinking moonshine are common in India, where the poor often drink "country liquor" or "toxic medicines" which are cheaper than alcohol from licensed shops.

Scores of people died in West Bengal in December last year after drinking a bad batch of moonshine. Many of the victims were poor labourers and rickshaw drivers.

The Orissa government has announced compensation for the families of the victims and ordered an inquiry.