In connection with the illicit liquor tragedy in Kallakurichi, the district court on Friday, June 21 sent three accused – Kannukutty aka Govindaraj, Vijaya, and Dhamodharan – to 14-day-judicial custody. They have been taken to Cuddalore prison.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered after the family of one of the victims on Wednesday, June 19, filed a complaint against Kannukuty (a) Govindaraj, his wife Vijaya and his brother Dhamodharan alleging that they sold illicit liquor to the people of Karunapuram village in Kallakurichi district, at around 7pm on Tuesday, June 18. After consuming the illicit liquor which contained methanol, a potent substance that can cause serious illnesses and death, several people began complaining of stomach pain, eye irritation, and eventually died.
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Kannukutty, Vijaya and Dhamodharan have been booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 304(2) (Punishable for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act sections 4(1)(i), 4(1-A) (Prohibition of the manufacture of, traffic in, and consumption of, liquor and intoxicating drugs and Punishment for manufacture of, traffic in, and consumption of, liquor and intoxicating drugs). Meanwhile, the death toll increased to 49 on Friday.
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While the three have been arrested by the police, the case has been transferred to CB-CID. According to media reports, atleast three other persons, including Chinnadurai, Madesh, and Joseph (a) Raja who had allegedly supplied Kannukutty with illicit liquor from Kalvarayan hills, Chennai, and Puducherry respectively, have also been arrested.
On June 20, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin formed a one-man commission under retired Justice B Gokuldas to conduct a detailed probe and submit a report, along with recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future within three months. It may be noted that earlier, in May 2023, 22 persons lost their lives after consuming illicit liquor in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu.