New Delhi - At least seven people have died after drinking contaminated liquor in India's north-western state of Rajasthan, a news report said Saturday.

Five locals including a woman and a girl died on Friday evening while two more villagers died on Saturday in the central Ajmer district, the PTI news agency reported, quoting police officials.

Two more people were hospitalized but their condition was stated to be stable, Himmat Abhilash, a local police officer told the news agency.

The villagers had complained of vomiting and stomach pains after consuming the liquor on Thursday night.

Police were investigating and were picking up samples of the alcohol for tests.

They were also conducting raids at several places to apprehend people who were manufacturing spurious liquor.

Illicit liquor is a thriving business in India because it is much cheaper than legal alcohol, but bad brews cause scores of deaths each year, mostly in the eastern, western and southern regions.