Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced that the families of four people who died after consuming alleged spurious liquor in Marakkanam of Villupuram district will receive Rs 10 lakh in compensation. The deceased have been identified as Dharanivel, Suresh, Shankar, and Rajamurthy. Additionally, 12 people who are hospitalized following consumption of spurious liquor will receive an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000. The statement also said that Marakkanam police sub-inspector, Arul Vadivazhagan, Sub-inspector Deepan and Prohibition and Enforcement Wing (PEW) officer, Maria Sobi Manjula, have been placed under suspension.
On Saturday evening, 16 people complained of vomiting and headache after consuming spurious liquor at Ekkiyar Kuppam near Marakkanam in Villupuram district. All of them were taken to the JIPMER hospital in Puducherry and four people succumbed to their illness while the remaining are admitted in the hospital. The police have already taken Amaran, who supplied spurious liquor, into custody.
Opposition leader and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami demanded that the government take stringent action against those involved in the sale of illicit liquor. He said that during the 10 years of AIADMK regime, no spurious liquor was sold in the state. He also said that the inept administration of Stalin has led to the flow of spurious liquor.
