AIADMK counsel in Tamil Nadu ask the Madras High Court to hold an immediate hearing on the Kallakurichi illicit liquor tragedy. The court division bench will hear the petition tomorrow. On Thursday, the AIADMK demanded that the Madras High Court hear an urgent plea on the Kallakurichi illicit liquor disaster. According to ANI, the Madras High Court division bench of Justices D Krishnakumar and K Kumaresh Babu has agreed to hear the case tomorrow, June 21. According to Reuters, at least 31 people died and more than 60 were still being treated in hospitals after swallowing contaminated booze.
Since Wednesday, more than 100 individuals have been admitted to hospitals in the Kallakurichi district, which is 250 kilometers (150 miles) from the state capital Chennai. "The state government suspended at least 10 officials, including the district's collector and police chief, over the illicit liquor incident," a spokesperson said. "I was astonished and saddened when I heard the news... "Action has also been taken against the officials who failed to prevent it," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote on X. MK Stalin, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, has announced ₹10 lakhs for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those undergoing treatment. A one-man commission, led by former judge Justice B Gokuldas, has been formed to investigate the incident; results will be presented within three months.
Vanathi Srinivasan, national head of the BJP Mahila Morcha and a party MLA, stated that it is a clear failure of the administration and has not happened for the first time. "It is the second largest incident to occur in Tamil Nadu in a very short period of time." The BJP is expressing concerns about drugs and other related issues. Even when the government operates TASMAC outlets, such a catastrophe occurs," she told ANI. Union Minister L Murugan described it as "very shocking news from the state of Tamil Nadu". "In Kallkurichi, more than 30 individuals perished in an illegal liquor case. More than 70 patients are being treated. The state government and its chief minister, MK Stalin, are inept. He is unable to manage the officers or the illicit liquor. Last year, a similar tragedy occurred in the surrounding region. They also did not take any harsh action...It happens on a continuous basis. Illicit liquor is killing innocent people. Minister S. Muthusamy should resign since he is unfit for this position. Murugan told ANI that the CM is responsible and must answer to the public.
Illegal alcohol-related deaths are tragically common in India, especially among the economically poor who cannot purchase approved government-sold products. Illicit liquor, sometimes mixed with harmful ingredients like pesticides to increase potency, has grown into a rich underground sector, according to the Associated Press. Bootleggers operate tax-free, selling vast quantities of their product to needy populations at low prices. More than 30 people died in Bihar in 2022 as a result of unlawful booze usage. Gujarat recorded at least 28 deaths earlier this year as a result of tainted liquor drinking, while Punjab reported at least 120 deaths in 2020.
