Tamil Nadu Hooch Tragedy Death Count Risses To 51, Over 60 In Hospital

The toll in Kallakurichi hooch tragedy rose to 51 and 64 people are in the hospital, the Tamil Nadu government said on Friday.

The bodies of 29 people who died till Thursday were handed over to their relatives and the bodies were either buried or cremated, Kallakurichi District Collector Prasanth M S said.

"A total of 165 people were admitted to the Kallakurichi, JIPMER, Salem and Mundiambakkam government hospitals after consuming spurious liquor. Of them, 47 have died so far. The condition of 30 among 118 undergoing treatment is critical," earlier said.

"A heartening news is that three affected persons have recovered," the collector said.

Justice B Gokuldas, who heads the one-man commission to look into the hooch tragedy, commenced his inquiry into the incident.

"There is no scope to comment anything now," he told reporters and added that the report will be submitted to the government.

"Three months time has been given," he said on submission of the report.

Chief Minister M K Stalin, replying to call attention motions on the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy said in the State Assembly earlier in the day that out of the total 164 affected persons, 117 are receiving treatment as in-patients in various hospitals and 51 died.

Earlier, speaking to reporters after visiting the patients undergoing treatment at the Kallakurichi GH, the Collector said special teams have been formed to prevent the sale of illicit arrack in the district and they have been told to take up intense combing operations.

The administration had sufficient stock of medicines to treat the affected and presently efforts were on in taking door enumeration in Karunapuram on the number of persons who could be affected.

He appealed to those among the public who had consumed illicit liquor to voluntarily subject themselves to medical examination soon and undergo treatment if needed and thus avert possible threat to their lives.