Taking suo motu cognisance of the deaths due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Kallakurichi district in Tamil Nadu, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police calling for a detailed report over the incident within a week.
“The Commission observes States have exclusive power to regulate the production, manufacture, possession, transport, purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors,” an official release from the NHRC said. The report from authorities was to include the status of the FIR, action against delinquent officers, treatment of the victims and the status of disbursement of compensation to the aggrieved families.
The NHRC has taken cognisance of media reports over the incident. The Commission observed that the contents of the news reports, if true, “raise a serious issue of violation of the right to life of the victims”, it said.
