Three persons died and five were hospitalised in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh after drinking spurious liquor on Wednesday, PTI reported. One person has been arrested, and an investigation is under way to find out where the liquor came from, Superintendent of Police LR Kumar said.

The incident comes days after at least 16 people died as a result of consuming adulterated liquor in Barabanki district. Police on Wednesday arrested the main accused in the case following a brief encounter.

The deaths in Sitapur district were reported from Paiteypur and Saidpur villages. Four of the five people in hospital are in a critical condition and have been taken to Lucknow Trauma Centre.

“All of them consumed alcohol on Sunday and Vinod’s condition started to deteriorate the next day,” the family of Vinod, one of those who died, told ANI. “Though he was taken to a CHC [Community Health Centre], the doctors referred him to a hospital in Lucknow for the treatment. He took his last breath on his way to the hospital.”

Kanhaiya Kumar, the trader who allegedly sold the liquor, has been arrested. “The illicit business grow in the area due to the connivance of the excise officials and the local police in the region,” police chief LR Kumar said. “The main accused in the case will be arrested soon as separate teams are constituted to crack down the sale of illegal liquor in the area.”