Tamil Nadu Hooch Tragedy: Death toll reaches 18
Villupuram (Tamil Nadu), May 16: The death toll in the Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy has risen to 18, with two more deaths reported in the Villupuram district, police said on Tuesday.
The Villupuram district alone has reported 13 deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor.
On Monday, authorities said the total number of people killed after a group of individuals consumed illicit liquor in the Ekkiyarkuppam fishing hamlet of Marakkanam in the district on Saturday evening had risen to 11. Shankar, Suresh, Dharanivel, Rajamoorthy, Vijayan, Mannakatti, Malarvizli, Abhiragam, Kesava Velu, Shankar, Vijayan, Raja Velu, and Sarath Kumar are among those who died.
Further investigation is underway.
With this, the number of people killed in two different incidents in the state has risen to 18, according to authorities.
The second incident took place on Sunday in Maduranthagam, Chengalpattu district, where five persons allegedly died due to illicit liquor consumption.
According to the police, two distinct incidences of spurious liquor deaths were recorded in Tamil Nadu's north zone, but no evidence of a link between the two incidents was established.
In this regard, a person identified as Amaran was arrested, and spurious liquor confiscated from his possession was sent to the lab to be tested for the presence of methanol, according to police.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Stalin declared Rs 10 lakh in compensation for each of the deceased's families, as well as Rs 50,000 in compensation for those hospitalised.
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- ANI
