The death toll in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy rose to 47 with eight more people losing their lives after consuming the spurious liquor at Karunapuram in Kallakurichi. The victims included four women and a transperson.

Most of the victims who succumbed on Thursday night are from Karunapuram.

A total of 117 others are undergoing treatment at the Kallakurichi Government Medical College and Hospital, and hospitals in Salem, Villupuram, and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry.

Of them, the condition of 28 people is critical.

Official sources said a 71-member team of specialist doctors from General Medicine, Anaesthesia, Nephrology and staff nurses and technicians drawn from government medical college and hospitals in Salem, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy and Chengalapttu have been sent to Kallakurichi Government Medical College and Hospital.

Crime Branch-CID takes over probe

The Crime Branch-CID has taken over the probe into the hooch tragedy deaths in Karunapuram in Kallakurichi town.

Police sources said documents and case diary files were handed over by the Kallakurichi town police to the CB-CID team.

The team, led by Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Gomathi visited Karunapuram, the epicentre of the hooch tragedy an began their investigation.

Calls for prohibition, monitoring of methanol supply

PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss is expected to meet those admitted at the Kallakurichi Government Medical College and Hospital on Friday.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder Thol Thirumavalavan on Thursday contended that implementing liquor prohibition in the state would be a permanent solution to the illicit liquor problem.

In a statement, he also said the state government should vigorously monitor supply of methanol.

The state government justifies its running of liquor shops by stating that this is being done in order to abolish the spurious liquor trade. But the deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor confirm that such arguments are not acceptable, Thirumavalavan said.

He also said strict action should be taken against officials who had links with the sellers of illicit liquor. Thirumavalavan urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to take measures to implement complete prohibition.

In a separate statement, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) President Jawahirullah called for the dismissal of officials involved in the incident.

The CB-CID should probe the links between the local police and those who sell illicit liquor, he said. He also called for a ban on methanol.

AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran, in a post on his social media handle on 20 June, stated that the incident exposed the “total failure” of the state government and said the action taken against the district collector and Superintendent of Police was mere “eyewash.”

Instead of seeking to cover up its faults under the guise of carrying out searches and arrests, the government should hold an elaborate enquiry and take stringent measures against the guilty, he said.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam General Secretary N Anand on Friday said the party’s founder, actor Vijay, has urged cadres to avoid celebrating his birthday in June in view of the loss of lives due to spurious liquor in Kallakurichi district.

Source: The Hindu