Scores killed by illegal alcohol

Poisonous illegal alcohol has killed at least 87 people in two southern Indian states since the weekend, police say.

Bootleggers have been selling the drink in a district on the border between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Sixteen more deaths were reported from the outskirts of the Karnataka capital, Bangalore, on Tuesday and police expect the number of dead to rise.

Most of the dead are poor, migrant workers. Deaths from illegally brewed alcohol are common in South Asia.

Vomiting

Police say 43 of those killed are in Bangalore and another 19 in another district in the state, Kolar.

Twenty-five others are reported dead in Tamil Nadu.

Deputy commissioner of police in Bangalore, BK Singh, said "the toll in all likelihood may go up".

Restrictions on buying alcohol are in place in Karnataka because of state elections.

Police said victims had bought cheap illegal alcohol and after drinking it complained of severe stomach aches and vomiting.

Several suspected bootleggers have been arrested.