Since Wednesday, over 150 people have become very sick after drinking liquor mixed with methanol in the Kallakurichi district, which is around 250 kilometers (150 miles) from Chennai, the state capital. The affected individuals suffered from vomiting, stomach aches, and diarrhea and needed medical treatment.
As of Friday morning, 118 of these people were still in hospitals in Kallakurichi and nearby areas, according to a government official. On Thursday, it was reported by a government spokesperson that at least 36 people had died from this incident.
In response to this tragedy, the police arrested four individuals suspected of selling the illegal liquor and confiscated 200 liters of it. The state government also announced disciplinary action against ten officials who failed to prevent the sale of this dangerous alcohol.
Deaths from illegally made alcohol, often called “hooch” or “country liquor,” happen regularly in India. Many people cannot afford branded, legal spirits, leading to the consumption of these unsafe alternatives. Public and activist groups have been calling for stricter measures to control the sale of such illicit liquor.
The Tamil Nadu government stated that it is working to find those responsible for producing methanol, a harmful chemical typically used for industrial purposes, that was mixed into the liquor.
The local media showed state ministers and opposition leaders visiting the district to meet the victims. These videos also captured a mass cremation of the deceased, with families conducting last rites near each other. This scene was reminiscent of the grim images seen during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
This tragic event is not isolated more than a dozen people died in a similar incident in a nearby district of Tamil Nadu just last year.