Aligarh (UP), Jun 4 (IANS): Six more persons died and 24 more are undergoing treatment after consuming spurious liquor in a village here, days after another hooch tragedy resulted in the death of at least 35 in the district.

On Wednesday night, some brick kiln labourers fell sick after consuming country-made liquor dumped in a canal near Rohera village in the Jawan area, police sources said.

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The brick kiln workers found liquor cartons dumped in the canal. They started celebrating but were taken ill shortly after consuming the country-made liquor.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kalanidhi Naithani told reporters, "It appears that some persons involved in the spurious liquor trade dumped their entire stock in the canal fearing a raid."

Chief Superintendent of Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College hospital, Dr Harris Manzur, said six people have died so far, three of whom were brought dead.

"Doctors are battling to save the lives of the remaining 24 victims," he said, adding that critically ill patients kept arriving at the hospital throughout Wednesday night and Thursday.

This is the second hooch tragedy reported in the district in recent days.

In the earlier case on May 28, at least 35 people died after consuming illicit liquor, while autopsies were conducted on a total of 87 victims.

Officials said many people have suffered eye damage and vision loss.

Since the first death in the other hooch tragedy was reported on May 28, post-mortem examinations have been done on 87 suspected victims, even though the official death toll remains 35.

Thirty-four people have been arrested so far.