In the wake of hooch deaths in Kallakurichi, the Tamil Nadu Government on Wednesday evening transferred the District Collector Sravan Kumar Jatavath and placed under suspension the Superintendent of Police Samay Singh Meena. The government confirmed that five lives were lost so far. There were reports about the toll being higher.
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A state government press release said M.S. Prasanth has been appointed as new district collector and Rajat Chaturvedi as the new SP.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin transferred the case to the CB-CID and deputed Highways Minister E.V. Velu and Health Minister Ma. Subramanain to Kallakurichi to make necessary arrangements for treatment of 26 persons who had consumed spurious liquor. The police arrested Govindaraj alias Kannukuttu who sold the liquor and a forensic analysis confirmed the presence of methanol in the liquor, an official release said.
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The government said all the victims were from Karunapuram Colony in Kallakurichi taluk and they had consumed spurious liquor sold in sachets. They complained of stomach ache, irritation in the eyes and vomiting and were admitted in Kallakurichi Government Medical College Hospital.
Praveenkumar, aged 26, died early in the morning on Tuesday. Suresh, aged 40 and Sekar aged 59 also, failed to respond to the treatment in the medical college hospital. Two more persons, Kandan and Vadivu also died.
The government has sent a four-member medical team to Kallakurichi to treat the victims and 18 persons have been sent to JIPMER in Puducherry. Doctors from Salem and Tiruvannamalai have rushed to Kallakurichi and 12 ambulances have been kept ready.
The state government also suspended DSP Tamilselvan in-charge-of prohibition and Manoj, DSP, Tirukovilur and other officers.