MAJITHA (AMRITSAR):, May 14 -- Gursharan Kaur is distraught unable to comprehend the tragedy.

Grieving the death of her brother-in-law, Gursharan said: "A few years ago, my husband died due to liquor addiction. Now, this has claimed my brother-in-law Major Singh's life, the only breadwinner of my family."

Hers was not the only story.

Pall of gloom descended in many villages, including Bhangali, Patalpuri, Marari Kalan, Talwandi Khumman, Karnala, Bhangwan and Therewal villages, on Monday night as people, most of them daily wagers, started falling sick and dying.

Gursharan, a resident of Marari Kalan village, said her 45-year-old brother-in-law is survived by his 10-year-old son and wife Ratto.

"We don't know how will we live our life....