Methanol used to brew spurious liquor in Kallakurichi sourced from Puducherry: CM Stalin
Replying to a special calling attention motion moved in the House on the issue, CM Stalin said that the methanol was sourced from Puducherry and that the government would go all out to bring the perpetrators involved to the books.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin
CHENNAI: Reiterating that his government would crack down on illicit arrack issue with an iron fist, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday informed the State Assembly that the methanol used in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy was sourced from Puducherry.
Replying to a special calling attention motion moved by members of various parties in the State Assembly, Stalin put the death toll so far at 47 and said that about four persons have so far been arrested in connection with the incident and preliminary investigation has revealed that the methanol used (in Kallakurichi) was brought from Puducherry.
Assuring the House that any person connected with the incident would be brought to the books, the CM said that about 4,63,710 cases have been booked and 4,61,084 persons arrested (including 565 detained under Goondas Act) in the state in connection with illicit arrack manufacture ever since he formed government in 2021. Pointing out that about 16.51 lakh litres of illicit arrack, 1.42 lakh litres of spirit and 28.79 lakh litres of ferment (Ooral in Tamil) have been seized and destroyed in the last three years, the CM said that about 45 permanent check posts have been set up to crackdown on bootlegging in the state and the government was paying special attention to prevent crimes like manufacture and sale of illicit arrack and smuggling cum sale of spurious liquor.
Adding that the district police superintendents have been advised to audit the methanol manufacturing and utilising units in the state, Stalin said that the monthly audit reports of the SPs are being monitored by the headquarters of the Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW). Attributing Kallakurichi like incidents to the illegal peddling of methanol manufactured in neighbouring states like Andhra into Tamil Nadu, the CM said that he has instructed the officials to act without prejudice and invoke Goondas Act against persons involved in illicit arrack-like drugs.
Responding to the charge of the opposition that the CM must own responsibility for the incident, the CM referred to the action initiated on the incident so far and said, "Not only as the minister holding the home portfolio, as the Chief Minister, I am not the kind of person who runs for cover on any issue. I am answering responsibly because I know my responsibility. I have listed out the action taken so far. I am replying only after arresting the accused. I am cracking down on perpetrators of the crime with an iron fist and open mind."
Remarking that the people would not have forgotten the pendency of the hooch tragedy cases before the courts, the CM said, "I have the list of hooch deaths that took place in the AIADMK regime. But I don't want to politicise the issue using it. I request not to seek political gains using the tragic incident. I assure you that I will take any kind of stringent action to protect people from the anti-social elements."
