Following the spurious liquor tragedy in Villupuram and Chengalpattu, the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) Sylendra Babu issued a statement on Monday, May 15, stating that 1,558 persons were arrested and 1,842 cases registered in connection with illicit liquor trade in the last two days. So far, at least 19 people have died in Villupuram and Chengalpattu from drinking spurious liquor.
According to the DGP’s statement, in a crackdown ordered after the deaths were first reported from Villupuram and Chengalpattu, police seized 19,028 litres of illicit liquor. Liquor bottles containing 4,943 litres of spurious liquor were destroyed, and 16,493 bottles of counterfeit IMFL (Indian-made Foreign Liquor) were seized.
The statement said that so far in 2023, a total of 55,474 cases have been registered in connection with illicit liquor, and 55,173 persons, including 4,534 women, have been arrested. It also said that 2,55,078 litres of spurious liquor had been seized so far this year. In addition, 1,077 motor vehicles used to smuggle liquor, including 69 four-wheelers, have also been seized this year and seventy-nine persons have been booked under the Tamil Nadu Goondas Act.
On Monday, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that Villupuram Superintendent of Police Shreenatha and two Deputy Superintendents of Police of the Prohibition Enforcement Wing were suspended over the tragedy. The SP of Chengalpattu A Pradeep was transferred and placed on a compulsory wait list.
Addressing the media after visiting victims who were hospitalised after consuming the spurious liquor, CM Stalin said that measures are being taken to curb the production and sale of spurious liquor. “The government will take action without any hesitation against people who have not taken the measures to completely curb the sale of spurious liquor,” he said.