Massive toxic alcohol disaster in Tamil Nadu. 29 people died. Hundreds of people are in the hospital. The incident took place in Kallakurichi district of Tamil Nadu, 250 km from the state capital Chennai. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stal has been implicated. Despite such massive distribution of poisonous liquor, the government system was caught unawares.
In the last few days, 68 people have been admitted to the hospital after consuming poisonous liquor. 18 of them were shifted to Jipmar in Puducherry and six to Medical College and Hospital in Salem. Many of them are from Karunapuram region. A woman who lost her son said, “Severe abdominal pain and difficulty opening his eyes, he said he had eaten loins.
Authorities initially refused to admit people who said they were drunk. This raised the death alliance. Didn’t get treatment on time. Another mother said, “My son suffered excruciating stomach pain, he could not see or hear, and medicine was not available. He is dead.. This should not happen to anyone, stop selling alcohol.”
Private individuals and not procured from government run liquor stores. It could be home made liquor or spirits. 26 people drank charayam from packets. The state government also said in a statement that the presence of toxic methanol was confirmed during the forensic examination.
The state government suspended district police chief Samay Singh Meena and replaced him with Rajat Chaturvedi. Collector Shravan Kumar replaced Jatavam with MS Prasanth. An officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, three inspectors and several sub-inspectors of the Prohibition Enforcement Wing have been suspended. The state government has handed over the probe into the poisoned liquor disaster to the CB CID.
In a post on X, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that he was shocked and pained by the loss of life. “The accused have been arrested. Action has been taken against officials who failed to prevent this. We will crush with steel hands. If the public complains about such miscreants, action will be taken.”
He has asked two ministers, including Health Minister M Subramaniam, to reach Kallurichi and ensure all possible medical assistance to the affected.
Disturbing reports started coming out yesterday after three people died in different places in the last three days. Rumors spread that the cause of death was due to toxic alcohol consumption, but District Collector Shravan Kumar Jatawat initially denied such news. “These deaths have happened for three days.
The intelligence agencies and the Prohibition Enforcement wing are viewing the tragedy as a major failure. Last year, 22 people died after consuming methanol in Tamil Nadu.
AIADMK president and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami has slammed the ruling DMK, saying the state government has failed to curb the toxic liquor problem despite what he pointed out. He also said that the villain this time was methanol, a poisonous alcohol like last time.
Despite the intelligence report about the poisoned liquor, the government ignored it. Moreover, the opposition says that the elections in MK Stahl were conducted with the money of liquor tycoons and a similar corruption took place in Delhi.
