In the wake of the spurious liquor tragedy in Tamil Nadu that has claimed at least 22 lives so far, Chief Minister MK Stalin chaired a meeting with senior officials from the police department, and the department of home, prohibition and excise, on Wednesday, May 17. In the meeting, CM Stalin discussed preventive measures to curb brewing of illicit liquor in the state. Stalin asked officials to spread awareness about the toll-free prohibition helpline number 10581 to report sale of illicit liquor.
He also said that the Whatapp numbers of Assistant Superintendents of Police and Deputy Superintendents of Police of the Prohibition and Enforcement Wing (PEW) of every district should be circulated, to receive complaints regarding the same. Stalin also directed the Additional Director General of Police (Prohibition Enforcement Wing) to monitor and take action on such complaints, and directed him to send a weekly report every Monday through the Principal Secretary of the department of home, prohibition and excise
The CM also asked district Collectors to conduct weekly coordination meetings on Mondays regarding the prohibition of illicit liquor and drugs. Officials from the police and revenue departments, and the district managers of TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited) should participate in these coordination meetings, Stalin said during the meeting.
The CM also urged police officials to book those involved in the sale of illicit liquor and drugs under the state’s Goondas Act. He also asked officials to submit action taken reports (ATRs) after conducting monthly meetings headed by the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police with district Superintendents of Police, to review prohibition measures against illicit drug and liquor sales, crime prevention, and the overall law and order situation in the state.
In the meeting, Stalin directed officials to increase awareness against drugs and illicit liquor through the involvement of schools, colleges, non-profit organisations, and women’s self-help groups. He also urged the Assistant Commissioners (Excise) to continuously monitor the usage of ethanol and methanol in industries to ensure that these chemicals are not misused for the brewing of spurious liquor. Stalin stressed that the best-performing personnel from the Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW) must be deployed along the state’s borders, and in the coastal and hill districts.
Over the past week, 22 persons from Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts have died from consuming illicit liquor that they had purchased from an agent in the neighbouring Puducherry Union Territory. After consuming the spurious liquor, several persons fell ill and were rushed to the nearest hospitals in Marakkanam, Puducherry, and Chengalpattu on the intervening night of May 13 and May 14. As of May 17, the death toll in the tragedy stood at 22. Fourteen victims were from Marakkanam of Villupuram district, while the remaining eight persons were from Madurantakam of Chengalpattu district.
The state police on May 16 nabbed chemical engineer Ellian Nambi, who had sold the methanol used in producing the illicit liquor, which was originally meant for industrial purposes and is unfit for human consumption. The probe into the spurious liquor deaths has since been transferred to the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID), following instructions from CM Stalin. Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government, seeking a detailed report over the deaths within four weeks.