Spurious liquor deaths in Tamil Nadu | With four more deaths at Marakkanam and Maduranthakam, toll rises to 17

41 other victims are undergoing treatment in Villupuram, Jipmer and at the Puducherry Government General Hospital; police have detained 55 arrack sellers and seized 109 litres of the illicit alcohol

Police personnel deployed in front of the Emergency Medicine ward of the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital on Monday where persons who consumed spurious liquor have been admitted. | Photo Credit: Kumar S.S.

The toll in the twin spurious liquor tragedy in Tamil Nadu rose to 17 on Monday, May 15, 2023.

In the Marakkanam incident, the toll increased to 12, with the death of three more victims, who were undergoing treatment at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital. The deceased were identified as Rajavelu, 38, Vijayan, 55, and Sarath Kumar, 55, of Ekkiyarkuppam..

Official sources said 37 persons were undergoing treatment in Villupuram, three at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry and one at the Puducherry Government General Hospital..

The victims, mostly fishermen from Ekkiyarkuppam, had purchased the brew from Amaran, 25, who has since been arrested. The victims began arriving in hospital in Villupuram and Puducherry on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

The police detained as many as 55 arrack sellers during intensive searches conducted across Villupuram district on Monday. Police said as many as 56 cases were registered against the arrack sellers. About 109 litres of illicit distilled arrack and 428 bottles of liquor were seized.

Meanwhile, the toll due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Maduranthakam, Chengalpattu district, rose to five, following the death of one more person. Police said Mariappan, 65, of Perumkaranai village, died at Government Chengalpattu Hospital.

Raju, 32, of Puthur, and Sankar, 48, of Perumkaranai, who were hospitalised following complications owing to consumption of spurious liquor, escaped from the hospital.