Chandigarh, Nov 11 (IANS): With the death of six more people, the toll due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Haryana has climbed to 18, officials said on Saturday.

While 16 deaths were reported in Yamunanagar, two others died in Ambala district.

"A total of 18 people have died so far," Additional Superintendent of Police Himadree Kaushik told the media.

Seven people have been arrested in the case, she said.

More names have emerged in the interrogation and they will be arrested soon, she added. "We have alerted villagers about the incident".

Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda has blamed the state government for the deaths.

He said the "black trade of intoxicants is spreading in Haryana, under the patronage of the BJP-JJP government" and spurious liquor and synthetic drugs have been killing the people of the state.

"In November 2020, more than 30 people died due to poisonous liquor, within a span of four days in Panipat and Sonipat alone. There were three deaths in Faridabad three years ago. In November 2022, four lost their lives due to poisonous liquor in Sonipat. Despite such large-scale deaths, the government did not take any action," Hooda has said in a statement.