Tamil Nadu Hooch Tragedy: The death count in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi hooch tragedy climbed to 63 on Wednesday. According to reports, as many as 219 people have been admitted to various hospitals after consuming illicit liquor. The latest death count comes a day after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Tamil Nadu government and police chief in connection with the matter. It also sought a report from them in a week. In a statement, the NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that several people lost their lives after consuming spurious liquor in Kallakurichi.
Several people still admitted to hospitals
According to reports, a significant number of individuals, including women, are receiving medical treatment in hospitals, with some in critical condition. If the contents of the news report are accurate, this situation presents a grave violation of the victims' right to life, the NHRC statement said. It also highlighted that states have exclusive authority to regulate the production, manufacturing, possession, transportation, purchase, and sale of liquor.
NHRC seeks detailed report
In response, notices have been issued to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of Tamil Nadu, demanding a detailed report within one week. The statement specified that the report should cover the status of the FIR, the medical treatment of the hospitalized victims, and the disbursement status of compensation to the affected families by the state government. The commission also sought details of action taken against "delinquent officers responsible for the tragedy", the statement said. The state government has ordered a probe into the incident.
Senior officials meet aggrieved family members
Earlier in the day, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Chairman Kishor Makwana along with the Deputy Chairman of Tamil Nadu Commission for Scheduled Castes (TNCSC) Puneeth Pandian and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the National Aditya Vidarbha Commission Sanmeet Kaur met the family members of the people who died due to the consumption of illicit liquor in Karunapuram area of the Kallakurichi district.
Uproar in Tamil Nadu Assembly
On Wednesday the Tamil Nadu assembly saw uproarious scenes as the AIDMK leaders clad in black shirts protested inside and outside the house. The AIADMK legislators, including the leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, were later suspended from the current Assembly session for disrupting the House proceedings.
(With inputs from agencies)
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