At least 36 persons have died since Tuesday after drinking spurious liquor in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district, reported The New Indian Express.
Additionally, over 100 persons are undergoing treatment at the Government Kallakurichi Medical College Hospital, the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem, the Government Medical College Hospital in Villupuram and the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry, according to The Hindu.
The liquor was purchased from a local vendor in the Karunapuram area within the Kallakurichi town limits, reported The Indian Express. After consuming the liquor, the patients complained of severe dizziness, headache, nausea, stomach pain, and eye irritation.
Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that action had been taken against the officials who failed to prevent this tragedy.
The police have also arrested a man identified as K Kannukutti, after nearly 200 litres of illegal liquor containing methanol was seized from him, the Tamil Nadu government said in a statement, reported the Hindustan Times. High levels of methanol in liquor are toxic for human consumption.
The state government has also directed the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department to carry out an inquiry into the matter.
According to a statement by the state government, Kallakurichi district collector Sravan Kumar Jatavath has been replaced and Superintendent of Police Samay Singh Meena has been suspended.
Nine other police officers, including those from the Kallakurichi prohibition wing, have been suspended, as well.
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