Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy: Stalin says methanol sourced from Puducherry

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said methanol, which was laced with illicit liquor that consumed the lives of 47 people in Kallakurichi district, was sourced from neighbouring Puducherry, even as he asserted that the DMK dispensation will continue to take “strong measures” in dealing with “anti-social elements.”

In his reply to a Special Calling Attention Motion on the issue which has exposed the administration’s failure in controlling brewing and sale of illicit liquor, Stalin said as many as 164 people from Karunapuram and near-by areas have been admitted to government hospitals in Kallakurichi, Salem, Villupuram, and Puducherry following consumption of spurious liquor.

“47 people have died so far,” Stalin said, promising to bring before the law anyone involved in the tragic incident that has left many children and women orphaned. Analyses of samples collected soon after the incident on Wednesday confirmed that the deaths were caused by the presence of Methanol, a toxic chemical, in the spurious liquor. 

“Preliminary investigation by the revenue and police departments have established that Methanol has been sourced from Puducherry,” Stalin said, adding that the government transferred district collector Sravan Kumar Jatavath and placed superintendent of police Samay Singh Meena under suspension within hours of the incident. 

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court, while hearing a petition filed by the AIADMK seeking a CBI probe into the incident, asked the state government to explain how the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy was allowed to happen within a year of 22 people losing their lives in twin hooch tragedy in 2023.

Besides elaborating the steps taken to treat the injured, Stalin announced special measures including financial assistance for children who lost one or both their parents in the tragedy which is over and above the Rs 10 lakh solatium to the families of each of the victims, besides bearing their educational expenses till they complete their UG. 

“The government will deposit Rs 5 lakh in the name of the children who lost both parents which will be given to them with interest after they attain the age of 18. An additional Rs 3 lakh will be given to children who lost one parent. Besides, the government will provide Rs 5,000 each to children who have lost both parents (or) one parent,” Stalin added. 

Talking about the steps taken by his government to eliminate brewing and sale of illicit liquor, Stalin said as many as 14,606 cases were registered and 10,154 people were arrested in this regard in Kallakurichi district alone since the DMK came to power in May 2021. “Of these, 58 persons have been detained under the Goondas Act,” Stalin said. Around 4.65 lakh cases were registered in connection with brewing and sale of illicit liquor and 4.6 lakh people were arrested, of which 565 have been detained under the Goondas Act since May 2021, Stalin added.

 In response to questions on the steps taken by the government after the twin hooch tragedy in 2023 that claimed the lives of 22 people, Stalin said the CB-CID arrested 21 people, 8 under Goondas Act, and initiated disciplinary action against 16 policemen in connection with the incident in Villupuram. 

 “As far as the Villupuram incident is concerned, methanol was sourced from Andhra Pradesh. In the Chengalpattu incident, six cases were filed and nine people have been arrested, while six policemen have been placed under suspension,” Stalin added.