5 dead after consuming toxic liquor; CM announces ex gratia amount

Five persons, including a woman, died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor, police said on Sunday. Four police personnel were suspended in connection with the incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said.

All five were admitted to a government hospital late on Saturday where three of them died initially. Two others, including the woman, died on Sunday without responding to treatment, police said. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident and the police are on the lookout for some more. The incident occurred at Ekkiyarkuppam at Marakanam near here on Saturday night.

Underlining his government’s resolve to eradicate the menace of hooch and drugs, chief minister Stalin said four police personnel, including two inspectors, have been suspended in connection with the incident. He had announced Rs 10 lakhs as a relief to each of the families of the three men who died earlier.

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AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the  Opposition, K Palaniswami, said during his party-led 10-year rule (2011-21), there was no place for illicit liquor in the state and blamed the ruling DMK’s ‘inefficiency’ for the deaths. “Steps should be at least taken now against illicit liquor,” he said in a social media post.

PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss sought against officials concerned over the sale of hooch and reiterated his party’s demand for ending the nationalisation of liquor sales in the State as well as the implementation of prohibition. 

(With inputs from PTI)