Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy: Toll reaches 47, three accused sent to 15-day judicial custody

State BJP president Annamalai writes to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting CBI inquiry into the deaths

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Director of Medical Education Sangumani on Friday said 47 people have lost their lives after consuming illicit liquor in the Kallakurichi district of the State.

Additionally, three accused in the Kallakurichi illicit liquor case were sent to 15 days of judicial custody and taken to the Cudallore Central Prison. The Kallakurichi police produced the accused before district combined court. According to the police, the accused have been identified as Govindaraj, Damadoran and Vijaya.

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Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting a CBI inquiry into the deaths. He had earlier accused the ruling DMK government of involvement in the Kallakurichi illicit liquor death incident, alleging collusion between DMK members and local liquor sellers.

“We want to inform your good office that a similar incident that occurred in May 2023 in Marakkanam of Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district and Chengalpattu district claimed 23 precious lives. In the past two years, Tamil Nadu has lost over 60 lives to hooch because of the ineffective governance of the DMK government,” he said in his letter.

He mentioned that as per his reliable sources, the production and sale of illicit liquor in Tamil Nadu is happening at the behest of party functionaries and cadres belonging to the DMK, where points of sale of such liquor are located near judicial courts, police stations and other government offices.

The families of the deceased in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy claim that the sale of illicit liquor happened in the prime areas of the town.

“It is evident that the sale of illicit liquor is done in full public view with the knowledge of the local police, who operate under the direction of local political leaders belonging to the DMK.

Considering the dire state of governance in Tamil Nadu under the DMK rule, on behalf of BJP Tamil Nadu, we kindly request your good office to order a CBI inquiry on this matter as we firmly believe that the DMK Government will curtail the State Police’s from bringing all the persons responsible for the deaths before the court of law,” he said in the letter.