New Delhi: Two people died after allegedly consuming liquor from a state-run bar at Keela Alangam in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, ANI reported citing officials.


The deceased, identified as Vivek (36) and Kuppusamy (68), brought liquors from the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC).


Following the incident, the officials of the Revenue Department sealed the bar and arrested bar owner Senthil Palanivel and bar worker Kamaraj, according to the police.


Thanjavur Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver told reporters that cyanide poisoning was suspected.


Ponraj said in a statement that around 12 pm on Sunday, two people consumed alcohol at TASMAC bar in Thanjavur and became ill.


“One person died on the way to hospital while the other person died in the Hospital during the treatment,” he said in a statement.


“As per the Forensic report of the two deceased, there was no methanol in alcohol but a mix of Cyanide poison is suspected to be present in the alcohol,” the Collector said, adding that further investigation is underway.


“A First Information Report has been registered in this matter and bodies were sent for autopsy, he said. A special team has been formed to investigate this matter,” he said.


It was revealed during a preliminary investigation that one of the deceased Vivek had some family issues.


“We are investigating the case from all possible angles whether it is suicide or murder,” he said.


Thanjavur SP Ashish Rawat said, “We are trying to track CCTV footage. After investigation, action would be taken on the Bar owner. A case has been registered under section 174 of the IPC. A special team is investigating this case”. 


The incident comes barely a week after as many as 21 persons have died in two separate hooch tragedies in the state. Of the 21 persons, 13 persons belonged to Ekkiyarkuppam at Marakkanam in Villupuram and 8 persons were from Chithamur in Chengalpattu. 


Meanwhile, the police arrested three persons from Chennai and Puducherry in connection with the case. Villupuram police arrested Puducherry-based Elumalai and Barakathullah for allegedly supplying methanol to local sellers in Tamil Nadu. 


Another person Ilaya Nambi, who owns a chemical company in Chennai, was picked up from Chennai. Ilaya Nambi reportedly sold 1,200 liters of methanol to Elumalai and Barakathullah for Rs 66,000 in the "black market".