Methanol deaths: Police slaps murder case against chemical engineer, 16 others

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Police on Tuesday slapped a murder case against the Chennai Chemical engineer from whom the methanol was procured and 16 others who supplied and sold the spurious liquor to villagers in Villupuram and Chengelpet districts in which 21 persons have died so far.

With people dying in numbers since Saturday evening, police teams had to race ahead of time to trace the source of the spurious liquor, which led them to Jayashakti chemicals private limited at Vanagaram near Chennai from where methanol was procured.

The company's present owner, S Elaya Nambi (45) bought it in 2018 and the methanol was supplied for manufacturers of paint thinners, police investigations revealed. After Covid stuck, the business was in doldrums and Elaya Nambi started selling the methanol stock to sellers of spurious liquor.

Police investigations revealed that Elaya Nambi sold 1200 liters of Barakathullah alias Raja (51) and R Ezhumalai (50) of Puducherry for Rs 66,000. It is from Ezhumalai and Raja, that the small time sellers procured the methanol from to be sold at Ekkiyar Kuppam near Marakkanam and Sithamur near Madurathagam.

Ezhumalai and Raja were arrested too.

Police also arrested a man, Viji who procured 400 litres of Methanol from Ezhumalai. Viji is a history-sheeter and has more than 10 cases against him including sale of illicit liquor.

Earlier, In Villupuram, Police had arrested three persons V Muthu (35), A Arumugam (40) and A Ravi (42) of Marakkanam for allegedly supplying the hooch to residents of Ekkiyar Palayam. V Amaran (27) was arrested on Sunday.

In Chengelpet, police arrested Ammavasai (50), Chandru (40) and Velu (38), who sold the methanol to the victims.

Six special teams headed by Inspector General of Police (IGP), N Kannan were formed to trace the source of the liquor. "Investigations revealed that of the 1200 litres procured by the accused, five were used in Marakkanam and three in Chengelpet. Within 48 hours, police teams have recovered the 1,192 litres from various persons, thereby preventing further tragedy, " stated an official release from the office of DGP C Sylendra Babu.

The release added that section 302 (murder) has been invoked against all the accused. Police have taken survey of the 11 industries manufacturing methanol in the state and 71 industries where methanol is used. District Superintendents of Police and City Police Commissioners have been advised to co-ordinate with the concerned departments and take stock of the situation in their respective jurisdiction with respect to movement of methanol.