Hooch tragedy leaves 10 dead in 3 Tamil Nadu villages
VILLUPURAM/CHENNAI: Ten people, including a septuagenarian woman, have lost their lives in Marakkanam and Madurantakam allegedly after consuming hooch. While six persons died at Marakkanam, four passed away at Madurantakam. In the aftermath of the tragedy, seven police personnel in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts were suspended on Sunday. Police are probing if the two incidents are related.
Sources in Marakkanam, in Villupuram district, said close to 80 residents of the Ekkiyarkuppam fishing hamlet had consumed hooch sold in the locality over the past few days. Several of them took ill on Saturday and at least 20 villagers were admitted at nearby hospitals.
While P Suresh (48) and S Sankar (59) died at Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences and JIPMER, respectively on Saturday night, G Daranivel (55) passed away at JIPMER in the early hours of Sunday. On Sunday evening, D Rajamorthy (60) and Malarvizhi (70) died at Government Villupuram Medical College hospital in Mundiampakkam and Mannangkatti (50) died at Tindivanam Government Hospital.
According to the family of Suresh, he had felt uneasy since Friday evening when he consumed the liquor and did not eat anything. On Saturday evening, he fainted and was rushed to the GH at Marakkanam before being shifted to PIMS. Daranivel’s wife, Muniamma, who is inconsolable, said he had been at the hospital for eye treatment and had returned home Saturday afternoon. He went out that evening to meet friends but immediately returned, supported by a villager, saying he could not see. Soon after, he complained of pain all over his body and was rushed to the hospital.
Police sources said their inquiry led to the discovery that hooch from Puducherry was being smuggled into the locality. Marakkanam police have filed a case and arrested V Amaran (28) of Marakkanam and are searching for four of his associates, namely Muthu (31), Arumugam (42), Mannankatti (50), and Ravi(50). Police are awaiting the autopsy reports to ascertain the cause of death.
‘Accused in Chengalpattu case sold industrial spirit, had burnt remaining stock to destroy evidence’
CHIEF Minister MK Stalin, in a statement, said he was saddened by the deaths and the government had taken severe action to eradicate the sale of illicit ale and liquor. He ordered a solatium of `10 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the hospitalised persons. Marakkanam inspector Arul Vadivazhagan, subinspector Deeban, Kottakuppam Prohibition Enforcement Wing police station inspector Mariya Sofi Manjula, and subinspector Sivagurunathan were suspended, the CM said.
Meanwhile, in Maduranthakam, in Chengalpattu district, two people died on Friday and two more on Saturday after consuming industrial spirits purchased from the same individual, a senior police officer said. The deceased were identified as Venniyappan (65) and his wife Chandra (55), both residents of the Irular locality in the Perambakkam village panchayat, and Chinnathambi and his mother-in-law Vasantha from Perukkaranai village.
Police have arrested Ammavasai (40), alleged supplier of the liquor. Police said Venniyappan and Chandra had consumed the liquor together on Saturday and were found dead on Sunday. In the neighbouring village, Chinnathambi, his wife Anjalai and his mother-in-law Vasantha consumed the hooch together on Saturday. They collapsed as they were drinking and were rushed to a hospital.
While Chinnathambi and Vasantha were declared brought dead, Anjalai is under treatment . “Investigations have revealed that Ammavasai sold industrial spirit to the deceased. The symptoms exhibited by those who consumed the spirits indicate methanol poisoning. So we suspect they consumed industrial spirit, which contains methanol,” an officer said.
Following the deaths, Melmaruvathur inspector Premanand, SI Mohanasundaram and Madurantakam PEW SI Ramesh were suspended. The police said Ammavasai had burnt the remaining spirit and destroyed the evidence to avoid getting caught, making it difficult to ascertain the type of spirit.
Two of Ammavasai’s accomplices have been identified and they will be arrested soon, police said, adding that Ammavasai had consumed the spirit but did not exhibit any symptoms. He has been admitted in hospital for a checkup. Further probe is on.
Earlier, Ministers K Ponmudy, Gingee K S Masthan, and Villupuram Collector C Palani visited the hospitalised at PIMS, JIPMER, and Government Medical College Hospital in Mundiyampakkam and expressed their condolences to the families.
Industrial spirits consumed?
Police said they suspect the four people killed in Madurantakam had consumed industrial spirits. They hailed from neighbouring villages and bought the hooch from the same person.