BANGALORE: Indian police on Thursday arrested a man who allegedly sold illegal alcohol which has killed more than 150 people in southern India this month, an official said.

The number of dead in southern Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states has risen to 168 since Sunday.

“We have arrested Sounder Rajan, the prime suspect in the spurious liquor incident,” deputy commissioner of police N.D Mullah said in Bangalore.

Rajan, 38, allegedly supplied the contaminated alcohol to makeshift shops.

Police earlier this week arrested three other suspects in the state.

Another 150 people were being treated in hospitals. Deaths from cheap alcohol are frequent in India and most victims are poor.—AFP