Tamil Nadu Director of Medical Education, Sangumani, reported on Friday that 47 individuals have died after consuming illicit liquor in the Kallakurichi district.
Simultaneously, the second day of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Session in Chennai was marred by chaos as AIADMK legislators, donning black clothes, protested inside the House regarding the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy. Speaker Appavu directed the watch and ward staff to evict the AIADMK MLAs from the Assembly hall. Visuals showed these members being escorted outside by staff, amidst heavy police presence.
The uproar, both inside and outside the Tamil Nadu Assembly in Chennai, was fueled by AIADMK members’ demands for a discussion on the tragedy that claimed at least 47 lives.
Yesterday, the Assembly session concluded by honoring those who died from consuming the spurious liquor. Legislators also paid tribute to 17 former legislators, the late DMK MLA Pugazhenthi, and victims of the Kuwait blaze, which included seven individuals from Tamil Nadu. State Assembly Speaker Appavu read the obituary note, followed by a moment of silence.
The Assembly session is scheduled to continue until June 29.
Earlier today, three suspects in the Kallakurichi illicit liquor case were remanded to 15 days of judicial custody and transferred to Cuddalore Central Prison. The accused, identified as Govindaraj, Damodaran, and Vijaya, were produced before the Kallakurichi district combined court.
In a related development, Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai sent a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting a CBI inquiry into the deaths. Annamalai accused the ruling DMK government of being complicit in the tragedy, alleging collusion between DMK members and local liquor sellers.
“We want to inform your good office that a similar incident that occurred in May 2023 in Marakkanam of Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district and Chengalpattu district claimed 23 precious lives. In the past two years, Tamil Nadu has lost over 60 lives to hooch because of the ineffective governance of the DMK government,” Annamalai stated in his letter.
He claimed, based on reliable sources, that the production and sale of illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu are conducted with the support of DMK party functionaries and cadres. He alleged that points of sale for such liquor are located near judicial courts, police stations, and other government offices.
Families of the deceased in Kallakurichi claimed that the sale of illicit liquor occurred in prime areas of the town. “It is evident that the sale of illicit liquor is done in full public view with the knowledge of the local police, who operate under the direction of local political leaders belonging to the DMK,” Annamalai added.
Given the governance issues under the DMK rule, Annamalai, on behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, urged for a CBI inquiry to ensure accountability. “Considering the dire state of governance in Tamil Nadu under the DMK rule, on behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, we kindly request your good office to order a CBI enquiry on this matter as we firmly believe that the DMK Government will curtail the State Police’s from bringing all the persons responsible for the deaths before the court of law,” he stated.
The Tamil Nadu government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the tragedy, led by retired Madras High Court judge Justice B Gokuldas, who will submit a report within three months.
Chief Minister MK Stalin announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each deceased victim, while those receiving treatment will get Rs 50,000 each. Victims are being treated at the Kallakurichi Government Medical College and Hospital, as well as hospitals in Salem, Villupuram, and the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry.