In a tragic incident, at least 34 people have lost their lives and more than 100 have been hospitalized after consuming illegally brewed alcohol in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. According to M K Stalin, the state’s chief minister, the victims had consumed liquor tainted with methanol, as reported by the Press Trust of India news agency.
The Kallakurichi district has been grappling with the aftermath of the incident since Wednesday, with over 100 people suffering from symptoms such as vomiting, stomach ache, and diarrhoea being admitted to local hospitals. As of Thursday, more than 60 individuals are still receiving treatment, as confirmed by a government spokesperson for the state.
The severity of the situation has led to the suspension of at least 10 officials in the district, including a police chief. Footage from the ANI news agency, part-owned by Reuters, showed healthcare officials transporting patients in ambulances to hospitals, while another video depicted several people standing outside a mortuary.
M S Prasanth, a senior state official, told the Press Trust of India that the number of people listed in critical condition is constantly changing, suggesting that the death toll could rise further. To aid in the crisis, ambulances, doctors, and specialists from nearby areas have been deployed to the Kallakurichi district.
Police have arrested a 49-year-old man named Govindaraj for selling the illegal alcohol and have seized 200 litres of the methanol-mixed alcoholic drink. This incident is not an isolated case, as last year, more than a dozen people died in a similar incident in a nearby district in Tamil Nadu.
The Kallakurichi district, located approximately 150 miles (250km) from the state capital, Chennai, is now the focus of a major investigation into the illegal alcohol trade and its devastating consequences. As authorities work to uncover the full extent of the tragedy, the families of the victims are left to grieve their loved ones and demand justice for those responsible for this preventable loss of life.
