At least 54 individuals have lost their lives, and numerous others remain hospitalized after consuming alcohol adulterated with methanol in Tamil Nadu, southern India.

Since Wednesday, around 200 individuals have been treated in Kallakurichi district, with over 100 still receiving care in various hospitals.

As of Saturday, 48 men and six women had succumbed to the poisonous alcohol, with many ongoing treatments for symptoms such as vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea.

In a bid to save money, individuals often opt for illegal alcohol, leading to significant casualties when vendors enhance it with methanol. This industrial chemical, even in minor amounts, can cause blindness, liver damage, or death.

MS Prasanth, a senior district official, revealed that authorities have detained at least seven suspects and confiscated 200 liters (6,763 fluid ounces) of the illicitly manufactured alcohol.

The Tamil Nadu government announced on Thursday that it had disciplined 10 officials responsible for overseeing illegal alcohol production and failing to prevent this tragedy.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin declared that the families of victims and those hospitalized would receive financial aid from the government. Additionally, he has mandated an investigation into the incident by a retired High Court judge.

Both state ministers and opposition leaders, who have censured the government for not averting these mass poisonings, visited the affected district to meet with the victims and their families.

A mass cremation has already been held, with relatives performing the final rites side by side.

Last year, over a dozen people perished in a similar event in a neighboring Tamil Nadu district, and in 2020, more than 120 people died in Punjab, northern India.

In 2022, more than 30 people died in eastern India's Bihar state, and at least 28 in the western state of Gujarat, after consuming unauthorized toxic liquor.