At least 34 individuals have lost their lives after consuming toxic bootleg alcohol in Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India, as reported by officials.
The tragic incident occurred in Kallakuruchi district, where numerous residents fell ill following the consumption of the illicit liquor on Tuesday night.
Presently, approximately 80 individuals are receiving treatment in hospitals for various illnesses, including excessive diarrhea, and authorities have expressed concerns that the death toll may increase further. In response to the incident, two individuals have been arrested, and a broader investigation is underway.
Furthermore, authorities have taken action by suspending a senior police official and ten members of the state’s prohibition enforcement wing due to negligence. This department is responsible for overseeing the smuggling of illegal alcohol within the state.
Tragically, such incidents are not uncommon in India, where numerous fatalities occur annually due to the consumption of bootleg alcohol from clandestine distilleries.
Bootleggers often augment their concoctions with methanol, an extremely toxic form of alcohol sometimes utilized as an anti-freeze, to enhance its potency.
Even in small quantities, methanol ingestion can lead to severe consequences such as blindness, liver damage, and death. In the case of Kallakuruchi, it is alleged that the accused sold the lethal concoction in packets through a local vendor.
Individuals who consumed the toxic alcohol exhibited symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and eye irritation, prompting their hospitalization.
To address the aftermath of this tragedy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced compensation of 1 million rupees ($12,000; £9,425) for the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees each for those hospitalized.
“Those involved in the crime have been arrested. Action has also been taken against the officials who failed to prevent it,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
But opposition parties have criticised the government for failing to curb toxic alcohol in the state.
“The deaths caused by illicit liquor in the past two years under the DMK [Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam] regime have decelerated Tamil Nadu by four decades, taking us back to the 1980s,” said K Annamalai, the state chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He demanded that the minister in charge of overseeing the sale of alcohol should resign immediately.
