Chennai, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : The Tamil Nadu government is set to present the final report of a one-member commission in the Assembly on Tuesday. This commission investigated the Kallakurichi tragedy, which involved deaths from toxic methanol-laced liquor, marking one of the state’s deadliest incidents.
The commission, led by retired Madras High Court judge B. Gokuladas, was established by the previous DMK government following the deaths that occurred on June 19 and 20, 2024. Its mandate included uncovering the circumstances behind the tragedy, examining failures of enforcement agencies, and recommending measures to curb the production and sale of illegal alcohol.
The report, to be presented by the Tamil Nadu government, is expected to detail the supply chain of industrial methanol that reached illegal distillers. It will also outline how this poisonous beverage was prepared and distributed, alongside the responses of police, revenue, prohibition, and excise officials.
Recommendations are likely to focus on strengthening monitoring systems, regulating methanol movement, dismantling illegal liquor networks, and holding accountable those officials whose negligence allowed this illicit trade to flourish.
The tragedy struck the Karunapuram area of Kallakurichi when residents consumed methanol-contaminated illegal liquor. Victims experienced severe symptoms, including vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, and vision impairment, prompting emergency medical assistance. Patients were treated in hospitals across Kallakurichi, Salem, Viluppuram, and Puducherry.
The official death toll eventually reached 67, while 145 patients recovered and were discharged. Many victims were daily wage workers from economically disadvantaged families, turning this incident into a significant political and humanitarian crisis. The government announced compensation of 1 million rupees for each affected family and support for children orphaned by the tragedy.
Initially, the investigation was handed over from local police to the Crime Branch-CID, leading to the arrest of four alleged vendors and the seizure of approximately 200 liters of methanol-laced liquor. Investigators later apprehended Shivkumar, a suspected methanol supplier from Red Hills, Chennai.
Further arrests related to the purchase, transport, preparation, and distribution of the toxic liquor brought the total number of accused to 24. The district collector was transferred, and actions were initiated against police and prohibition enforcement personnel.
In November 2024, the Madras High Court ordered a CBI investigation. The findings from the commission are anticipated to provide a foundation for further legislative inquiry and official accountability regarding the tragedy.
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