The death toll from tainted liquor in Tamil Nadu rises to 53, with many in critical condition
Tragedy struck the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu as the death toll from tainted liquor reached 53, with officials warning that the number is likely to rise as many others remain in critical condition. The victims were sickened after consuming bootleg alcohol laced with a high content of methanol.
Rajat Chaturvedi, the police superintendent in the Kallakurichi District where the deaths occurred, reported that 98 people had been hospitalized. “The dead and hospitalized people are mostly daily wage laborers,” he said.
The first death was reported on Wednesday, with the village of Karunapuram being the worst hit. More than a dozen victims received last rites in a mass cremation on Thursday.
This is not the first time tainted alcohol has caused mass casualties in India. In recent years, similar incidents have occurred in various states across the country. In 2019, at least 150 people died in Assam, while in August 2020, 120 people lost their lives in Punjab. In December 2022, 70 people died in Bihar from consuming tainted alcohol.
The latest incident has put pressure on the Tamil Nadu government, with opposition leaders calling for the resignation of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. In response, Mr. Stalin has announced an investigation led by a retired judge and ordered a crackdown on the homemade liquor trade.
The man responsible for producing the poisonous alcohol has been arrested, along with his wife and another individual. Several police officers have been suspended, and the top civilian official in the Kallakurichi District has been transferred.
Local residents have alleged police complicity, claiming that officers turned a blind eye to the bootleggers who distributed the toxic alcohol. Mr. Chaturvedi, who took charge of the district’s police force after the tragedy, stated, “We cannot say direct involvement of local police, but due to their lack of action, police personnel were suspended, right from constable to deputy superintendent of police.”
The investigation into the incident is ongoing as authorities work to bring justice to the victims and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
