NHRC issues notice to Tamil Nadu govt over deaths in hooch tragedy in coastal areas
May 16, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 16 : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government over the death of 20 people after they allegedly consumed spurious liquor in the state's Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts.
The toll in the spurious liquor incident has gone up to 20 while over 50 people were affected, police said on Tuesday.
Apparently, the state government failed to prohibit the sale and consumption of illicit/spurious liquor, a statement by the Commission said.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of the media reports that many people have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu since May 12, 2023, and several others are hospitalized.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to a violation of the right to life of the people. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks. It should include the status of the FIR registered by the police, medical treatment of the victims and compensation if any, granted to the aggrieved families, the statement added.
The Commission would also like to know about the action taken against the delinquent officers, responsible for the tragedy. According to the media reports, the illicit liquor sold as Arrack was a cocktail of methanol, chemicals and water and was consumed by mostly fishermen from the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, the statement noted.
On Monday, police said the total number of people who died after a group of people on Saturday evening consumed illicit liquor in the Ekkiyarkuppam fishing hamlet of Marakkanam in the district was reported to have gone up to 11.
The deceased have been identified as Shankar, Suresh, Dharanivel, Rajamoorthy, Vijayan, Mannakatti, Malarvizli, Abhiragam, Kesava Velu, Shankar, Vijayan, Raja Velu and Sarath Kumar.
With this, the number of people who died after consuming hooch in two separate incidents in the State has increased to 18, police said.
The second incident was reported on Sunday from Maduranthagam in Chengalpattu district where five people died allegedly due to illicit liquor consumption.
According to the police, the two separate incidents of spurious liquor deaths were reported in the north zone of Tamil Nadu but there was no evidence found of a link between the two incidents.
In this connection, a man identified as Amaran has been arrested and spurious liquor seized from his possession has been sent to the lab to ascertain the presence of methanol in it, police said.
On Sunday Chief Minister Stalin announced Rs 10 lakh to each of the families of the deceased and also announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 each to those hospitalised.
He also directed the authorities concerned to give special treatment to those who are hospitalised in this incident. He also said that the government is taking strict measures to curb illicit liquor and narcotics.
