A dozen Indonesians were conformed dead and four were in critical condition after drinking illegal bootleg liquor, authorities said confirmed on Tuesday.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the unfortunate happening is the latest deaths caused by home-made alcohol in the Muslim-majority country.
It is a well known fact that the majority of Indonesians actually follow a moderate form of Islam, and while alcohol is readily available in large cities, it is costly due to hefty taxes, and some people may choose to use potentially hazardous homemade spirits instead.
On Monday, the government-run Subang district general hospital in West Java province admitted 18 victims for ‘alcohol intoxication’ on Saturday, said hospital spokesperson Wawan Gunawan.
‘There are five people under observation and 11 people died (at the hospital),’ Gunawan told reporters on Tuesday morning, adding that the victims were aged between 16 and 45 years old.
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Another victim was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, Gunawan added.
The victims died after buying the bootleg booze to be consumed at a wedding party on Saturday, according to a local police report.
Four of the victims were in critical condition and one was recovering, said Gunawan.
Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the incident, said Subang police chief Ariek Indra Sentanu.
Local media reported a thirteenth victim had died after their family requested an early discharge from the hospital, but Gunawan could not confirm their status.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that some time in 2018 more than 60 Indonesians died from drinking cheap home-made alcohol with police conducting raids across the country to arrest more than half a dozen vendors, including one who mixed mosquito repellent into his concoction.
In 2016, 36 people died in Central Java after drinking locally-brewed alcohol.