India: 19 die from free alcohol served by vote-seeking politicians

Free alcohol distributed by village politicians to win votes in India’s largest state has killed 19 people over two days and was found to be laced with insecticides and other potent chemicals.

Five people died overnight and 20 others were taken ill in Gorakhpur, 155 miles south-east of Lucknow,the state capital of Uttar Pradesh, said government spokesman Narendra Sinha.