AT LEAST 37 people were dead in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu after consuming liquor that was poisonous while more than 100 others were hospitalised and undergoing treatment. The deceased also included women.
The shocking incident happened in the state's Kallakurichi district, located around 250 kilometres from Chennai, the capital.
A suspected bootlegger was arrested while two other persons were detained. A senior police officer told India's NDTV that consumption of toxic liquor was the reason behind the deaths.
It was also reported that officials recovered 200 litres of liquor from one of the arrested persons and the samples were found to contain methanol, according to a government release.
According to officials, the victims, mostly daily-wage labourers from Karunapuram in Kallakurichi district, allegedly drank the liquor sold in sachets on Tuesday (18). By night, many of them started falling ill with diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and other symptoms.
Post-mortem of most of the victims was completed, said one Indian media report, and the findings would be submitted soon.
The state's chief minister, MK Stalin, condoled the deaths and said his administration will take stern action against the menace.
In a post on X, he said, "The accused have been arrested. Action has been taken against officials who failed to prevent this. We will crack down with an iron hand. If public complain about such perpetrators, action would be taken."
He also set up a one-man commission led by a former judge of the Madras high court to conduct a detailed probe into the incident.
Stalin also announced an aid of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 assistance for those undergoing treatment, he said.
Opposition slam Tamil Nadu government
The opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) slammed Stalin's government, accusing it of failing to crack down on illicit liquor despite it causing deaths.
While the AIADMK urged the Madras high court to take up an urgent hearing in the matter, the Bharatiya Janata Party sought resignation of S Muthusamy, Tamil Nadu's minister for prohibition and excise, alleging that he failed in carrying out his responsibility.
RN Rai, the governor of the state, also criticised the administration over continuous deaths caused by consumption of illicit liquor across Tamil Nadu and said it showed a failure in preventing production and consumption of such deadly stuff.
On Saturday (22), the BJP unit of Tamil Nadu will hold demonstrations across the state to condemn the alleged inaction of Stalin's government in cracking down on the sale of illicit liquor.
Stalin's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is in power in the state.
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