Chennai: In one of the most ghastly incident, the toll in spurious liquor tragedy at Karunapuram village in Kallakurichi district mounted to 34 on Thursday morning, even as the Tamil Nadu government ordered a judicial probe into the and incident and announced solatium of Rs ten lakh each to the bereaved families.
Reports received here said that nearly 70 people were being hospitalised.
So far 22 bodies have been identified and were handed over to the families after pot mortem.
According to reports, the sad point was that there was almost death in every street of the village where a pall of gloom descended since yesterday after the locals consumed spurious liquor sold in sachets on Tuesday night and complained of committing and irritation.
Several of them swooned, the reports said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed anguish and shock over the death of 34 people in the tragic incident and announced a solatium of Rs ten lakh each to their families.
Promising stern action against those who supplied the methanol that has caused the deaths, Mr Stalin said so far four people were arrested in connection with the incident.
Recalling that action has been taken against the police personnel, who had acted lethargic in the incident and that the probe has been transferred to the CB-CID, Mr Stalin also announced an assistance of Rs 50,000 each to those undergoing treatment at the hospital.
After holding discussions with senior government and police officials, Mr Stalin ordered a judicial probe into the incident headed by retired by Retired High Court Justice P Gokuldass and asked him to submit a report within three months.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami visited the spot and consoled the victims.
Claiming that 36 people have died in the incident, he expressed shock and blamed the state government for the loss of lives and not taking action against the illicit liquor menace.
