Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy: Kamal Haasan blames victims as death toll rises to 56, calls them ‘careless’

“I cannot say I have no sympathies for these victims. But these victims will have to understand they have exceeded their limit, and they have been careless. They have to be careful, they have to take care of their health,” he said.

“It has to be occasional drinking, social drinking, if at all,” he added.

“But they must understand that exceeding the limit in any form, be it sugar or anything, is bad. And this necessarily is bad…,” he asserted.

The MNM chief also said, “You cannot say that we will make it go away. It is there, it has to be run properly.”

“Kautilya Arthashastra talks about a spirit inspector called Suradaksha. So we have been systemising it. Now we will have to see that their (people, apparently) system survives alcohol,” he added.

கள்ளக்குறிச்சியில் கள்ளச் சாராயத்தால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு, மருத்துவமனையில் சிகிச்சை பெற்று வருவோரை மக்கள் நீதி மய்யம் கட்சித் தலைவர் திரு.கமல்ஹாசன் @ikamalhaasan அவர்கள் இன்று நேரில் சந்தித்து ஆறுதல் கூறியதுடன், சிகிச்சை குறித்து மருத்துவர்களிடம் கேட்டறிந்தார்.

தொடர்ந்து, கருணாபுரம்… pic.twitter.com/m1hZKRMJww

— Makkal Needhi Maiam | மக்கள் நீதி மய்யம் (@maiamofficial) June 23, 2024

Also Read: Tamil Nadu Kallakurichi hooch tragedy death toll rises to 56

140 stable

The administration on Saturday, 22 June, had said the condition of 140 people was currently stable.

About 216 patients were admitted to various government medical facilities after they consumed the spurious liquor on Tuesday, 20 June, night, Kallakurichi district collector MS Prasanth said.

“Seven people have been arrested in connection with the spurious liquor tragedy,” he told reporters after visiting the victims at the Kallakurichi government hospital.

The Collector said that special teams have also been formed to prevent the sale of illicit arrack in the district and they have been told to take up intense combing operations.

Also Read: Kallakurichi hooch tragedy echoes in TN Assembly for second day 

Madras HC slams govt 

The Madras High Court, had on Friday, 21 June, slammed the state government and directed it to file a detailed report on the steps taken to curb the sale of illicit arrack in the state.

The bench posted further hearing on the PIL filed by AIADMK to 26 June and said that the state cannot take the issue lightly as it affects people’s lives.

The PIL sought a direction to the state government to transfer to CBI, the investigation into the sale of illicit arrack by accused persons in Kallakurichi district.

Stalin had announced ₹10 lakh assistance to each of the families of the people who died after consuming illicit arrack. Additionally, he also announced ₹50,000 assistance to those who are being treated in hospitals.

He issued various orders to the officials of the revenue department, police department, and medical department, to ensure continuous monitoring and treatment, especially for those who are being treated in hospitals.

The National Human Rights Commission had also issued a notice in this regard to the Tamil Nadu government in May. It had called for a detailed report on steps taken to curb the sale of spurious liquor. This was not the first time the state machinery had failed in preventing deaths due to spurious liquor, the bench added.

(With PTI inputs)