At least 31 individuals perished and over 60 continued to receive treatment in hospitals following the consumption of contaminated alcohol in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, as stated by a government representative on Thursday. Since Wednesday, more than 100 individuals experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea have been hospitalized in the Kallakurichi district, located 250km (150 miles) from the state capital, Chennai. The state government has suspended at least 10 officials, including the district collector and police chief, in relation to the illegal liquor incident, according to an official statement.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his shock and sorrow over the incident on X, stating, 'Action has also been taken against the officials who failed to prevent it.' Police have apprehended Govindaraj, 49, known by his first name, for distributing illicit liquor and confiscated 200 liters of methanol-laced alcoholic beverage. A video from ANI, in which Reuters holds a minority stake, depicted healthcare workers transporting patients in ambulances at a hospital, while another scene showed several individuals outside a mortuary in Kallakurichi. Last year, more than a dozen people lost their lives in a comparable incident in a neighboring district of Tamil Nadu.
