Chennai: At least 30 people have died and over 70 have been admitted in various hospitals after they allegedly consumed illicit arrack (distilled toddy) in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district Wednesday.
“It is suspected that the people might have died from consuming the illicit arrack. However, the cause of death would be known only after an autopsy,” the Tamil Nadu government said in a press release Wednesday evening.
The Kallakurichi police have arrested one Govindraj alias Kannukutty (49), who allegedly sold illicit pocket liquor in the area. “About 200 litres of pocket liquor were seized from him. Upon testing, it was found that the alcohol had high methanol content,” a Kallakurichi police officer told ThePrint.
The state government has transferred District Collector Sravankumar Jatavath and suspended as many as 11 police officers in Kallakurichi. Kallakurichi Superintendent of Police Samay Singh Meena has been suspended and Rajat Chaturvedi has been appointed in his place.
According to the police, a group of men and women from Kallakurichi’s Karunapuram Colony had consumed illicit arrack Tuesday night, after which they complained of stomach pain, headache, vomiting, giddiness and eye irritation. On Wednesday morning, four of them died at the Kallakurichi Government Medical College and Hospital.
“Since last night, we have been constantly receiving people from Karunapuram Colony and surrounding areas. At least 18 people have been referred to Puducherry JIPMER hospital, while six were referred to Salem Government Medical College and Hospital for further treatment,” a police officer said, adding that at least three women were in critical condition.
State ministers E.V. Velu and Ma. Subramanian rushed to Kallakurichi to oversee the treatment of the victims.
Just a year ago, in May 2023, Tamil Nadu witnessed twin hooch tragedies in which 17 people died after consuming illicit liquor in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts. Soon after, as many as 1,559 people who were allegedly selling illicit liquor were arrested and about 19,028 litres of distilled arrack and 4,943 litres of fermented wash were seized and destroyed.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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