<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Toxic hooch has killed at least 27 people in the eastern Indian state of Bihar where alcohol is banned, officials said Tuesday, with unconfirmed reports putting the death toll at 40.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Selling and consuming liquor is prohibited in several parts of India, driving a thriving black market for potent and sometimes lethal backstreet moonshine that kills hundreds every year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Initial investigations into the latest tragedy showed that poisonous methyl alcohol was mixed with spirit that proved deadly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police official Jitender Kumar told AFP that 27 deaths had been reported since Saturday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kumar said most of the victims were from poor families and used to consume locally made cheap tipple known as "Desi Daru".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some local media put the toll at 40.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police have arrested 174 people in connection with illegal manufacturing, sale and supply of liquor over the last three days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They have also seized and destroyed over 900 litres (240 gallons) of toxic liquor during raids.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Local authorities have been using drones, helicopters and motorboats to crack down on the black market, but the most recent incident is just the latest in a string of similar deadly cases.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last year in December, 37 people were killed after consuming illicit liquor in the same state. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>