23 die after consuming toxic liquor in South Pakistan

Four people died at a hospital in Pakistan's south Hyderabad district where they were shifted after consuming toxic liquor on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 23 over the last two days, local media reported.

Dunya TV said that most of the victims were from minority Hindu community who bought homemade alcohol from a local drug dealer to celebrate their religious festival in the Tando Muhammad Khan, a less-developed district located near Hyderabad in the country's south Sindh province.

Police said that over 50 people were shifted to hospital, out of which 23 including three women died and 15 others are in critical condition.

The cops also arrested the dealer who sold the poisonous liquor to the people.

Relatives of the victims and other residents took to streets to protest against police for failing to put a check on the sale of the toxic liquor.

They also blocked the main highway.

This is the second incident of mass alcohol poisoning in the area.

Earlier in 2014, a total of 29 people were killed after consuming toxic liquor in Hyderabad.

Alcohol consumption and sale is banned in Pakistan for Muslims, but non-Muslims are allowed to buy liquor from licensed shops.