Four more die in Kallakurichi hooch tragedy

KALLAKURICHI: Four more people undergoing treatment in government hospitals after consuming toxic hooch in Kallakurichi died on Wednesday, while the condition of 13 others is critical. With this, the toll in the hooch tragedy has risen to 63. The district administration said that 88 patients have been discharged, while 73 are still undergoing treatment at four government hospitals.

Among the patients who are critical, seven are at JIPMER and six at the Kallakurichi government medical college hospital. JIPMER medical superintendent Dr L Dorairaja said the seven critical patients are on respiratory support.

Meanwhile, National Commission for Scheduled Caste chairman Kishor Makwana visited Kallakurichi on Wednesday to inquire about the incident with the affected people. Later, he inspected the treatment and medicine provided at the Kallakurichi Government Medical College Hospital. He advised the victims to refrain from consuming such liquor, and assured that the commission will provide necessary assistance to victims.

Makwana also met the collector and SP to inquire about the status of affected people, relief measures taken by the government, action taken to nab accused and the details of how illicit arrack is manufactured in the region. National Commission for Women member Khusbu Sundar also visited victims at the hospital and at Karunapuram village which saw the most deaths due to the hooch.
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She said it was evident that police were complicit in the hooch trade in the region. “One of the women in the hospital told me she would take me to the place where hooch is sold. That is how common this issue has been and it raises many questions about the integrity of the police and the government who have failed to protect the people from hooch.

The government may claim it has provided relief and will take care of the education of orphaned children, but will the deceased come back?” She added the commission will probe the issue.

TN Adi Dravidar and Tribal State Commission’s investigation stated the hooch tragedy cannot be contained within the scope of investigation of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, as people belonging to different communities are also affected.