Chennai: At least 29 people died, and more than 60 were hospitalized on Wednesday after allegedly drinking illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district, officials said on Thursday. The death toll is likely to increase, they said.
The Tamil Nadu Police arrested a man named Govindaraj, also known as Kannukutty, who was selling alcohol. The officials also seized 200 liters of liquor from him. Upon testing, the samples were found to contain methanol, according to a statement by the government.
Chief Minister MK Stalin has ordered a CB-CID probe into the incident. The DMK government transferred Kallakurichi District Collector Sravan Kumar Jatavath and suspended Superintendent of Police Samay Singh Meena.
“I was shocked and saddened to hear the news of the deaths of people who had consumed adulterated liquor in Kallakurichi. Those involved in the crime have been arrested in this matter. Action has also been taken against the officials who failed to prevent it. Immediate action will be taken if the public informs about those involved in such crimes. Such crimes that ruin the society will be suppressed with an iron fist,” Stalin wrote on X.
Stalin has ordered a Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) investigation for a thorough probe. The TN government has replaced Kallakurichi district collector Sravan Kumar Jatavath and suspended superintendent of police Samay Singh Meena, as per a statement. Additionally, nine other police officers, including those from the Kallakurichi prohibition wing, have been suspended, it added.
MS Prasanth, the new collector of the Kallakurichi district, visited the patients receiving treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital. Rajath Chaturvedi is the district’s new police superintendent.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates