Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said he was “shocked” by the deaths and stated that action was taken against those who were responsible for not preventing the incident.
At least 33 people died, and more than 60 were hospitalised on Wednesday after allegedly drinking illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district, officials said on Thursday. The death toll is likely to increase, they said.
Critical patients have been admitted to hospitals in Salem, Tiruvannamalai, and Puducherry.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said he was “shocked” by the deaths and stated that action was taken against those officials who were responsible for not preventing the incident.
In a post on X, MK Stalin said, “I was shocked and saddened to hear the news of the deaths of people who had consumed adulterated liquor in Kallakurichi. Those involved in the crime have been arrested in this matter. Action has also been taken against the officials who failed to prevent it. Immediate action will be taken if the public informs about those involved in such crimes. Such crimes that ruin the society will be suppressed with an iron fist.”
K Kannukutti, 49, has been arrested after about 200 litres of illegal liquor were seized from him, containing deadly methanol, the Tamil Nadu government said in a statement.
Stalin has ordered a Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) investigation for a thorough probe. The TN government has replaced Kallakurichi district collector Sravan Kumar Jatavath and suspended superintendent of police Samay Singh Meena, as per a statement. Additionally, nine other police officers, including those from the Kallakurichi prohibition wing, have been suspended, it added.