The death toll from the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district has reached 34 with the numbers expected to rise further, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leader Vijay expressed his grief and criticised the state government. Till now, over 50 people were hospitalised on Wednesday after consuming spurious illicit liquor, with at least 10 individuals reported to be in critical condition.
Against this backdrop, Vijay took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, "The news of the death of more than 25 people after consuming hooch liquor in Karunapuram area of Kallakurichi district is shocking and heartbreaking. I offer my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray to God for the speedy recovery of those undergoing treatment."
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He further highlighted the recurrence of such incidents as a sign of governmental negligence. "When the state has not yet fully recovered from the tragedy of losing many lives due to the same hooch tragedy last year, the fact that such an incident has occurred again shows the negligence of the government. I strongly request that the Tamil Nadu government should take strict precautionary measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future."
Tamil Nadu Hooch Tragedy
Several people consumed illicit alcohol and began experiencing vomiting and stomach aches. Some even fainted and had to be rushed to the hospital.
Initial reports indicate that the illicit liquor contained high concentrations of harmful substances.
Following the fatalities, the police arrested three individuals and detained ten others for questioning. They also confiscated 200 liters of illicit arrack.
In response to the incident, Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered a CBCID investigation to determine the causes and identify those responsible for this tragic event.
After the Assembly proceedings, Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is expected to visit Kallakurichi.