The number of people succumbing to the intake of toxic alcohol at Ramadaiya of Kshireshwornath municipality in Dhanusha has risen to 17 reports Rastriya Samachar Samiti.

They had taken ill after consuming locally made liquor excessively in course of celebrating the Holi festival on March 10, the District Police Office said.

The latest victims have been identified as Jitedra Sada of Musahari, Janakpurdham sub-metropolis and Bishwanath Yadav of Laxminiya rural municipality-5. They died early this morning. Till Saturday, the death toll was 15.

The police have already arrested local Ramananda Saha and a woman on the charge of supplying the hooch. The entire village is in the grief due to unexpected deaths of locals. The dead are from poor economic class, it is said.