The toll in the twin spurious liquor tragedy rose to 21 on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 with the death of one more victim from Marakkanam in Villupuram district and three more victims from Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district.
In Marakkanam, the toll rose to 13 as one victim, who was undergoing treatment at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital, died. The deceased was identified as Abraham, 48, of Ekkiyarkuppam.
Also Read | Spurious liquor deaths in Tamil Nadu | Ministers hand over solatium to kin of victims at Marakkanam
Official sources said 35 people were undergoing treatment in Villupuram, three at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry and one at Puducherry Government General Hospital.
As for the Madurantakam incident, the toll rose to eight with the death of three more patients who were undergoing treatment at Chengalpattu Government Hospital.
A senior police official in Chengalpattu district said the victims who died on Tuesday were identified as Shankar, 47, Muthu, 48, and a woman named Jumbo, 55. Anjali, 22, the wife of another victim, Chinnathambi, 34, is undergoing treatment, while Raju, of Puthur village, is absconding.
Till Monday, a total of five people had died after consuming spurious liquor in Perunkaranai village, falling under the Siddhamoor police station limits. The victims, including Chinnathambi and his mother-in-law Vasantha, Mariappan, and a couple, Venniyappan and Chandra, belonged to the Irular community
All the victims had consumed liquor supplied by a person named Amavasai.
NHRC issues notices
Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports of people dying after consuming spurious liquor in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police seeking a detailed response within four weeks.
The NHRC observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to a violation of the people’s right to life. “Apparently, the State government failed to prohibit the sale and consumption of illicit/spurious liquor,” it said.
The reports of the Chief Secretary and the DGP should include details like the status of the FIR registered by the police, the medical treatment provided to the victims, and compensation, if any, granted to the aggrieved families. The commission said it would also like to know about the action taken against the officers responsible for the tragedy.
