Kallakurichi (Tamil Nadu): Police confirmed on Monday that the death toll from the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy has climbed to 56, with 117 people hospitalised and in recovery after consuming the lethal drink.

The tragedy unfolded last week in Kallakurichi district, Tamil Nadu, where hundreds of individuals drank locally brewed ‘arrack’ contaminated with methanol. Methanol is often added to illicit liquor to increase its strength, posing severe health risks including blindness, liver damage, and even death.

While India grapples with annual fatalities linked to cheaply produced alcohol from unregulated distilleries, this incident marks one of the deadliest in recent memory. Top district police official Rajat Chaturvedi says, "56 people have died so far and around 117 people are currently under medical treatment".

Amid the fallout, political rivals in the state have traded blame over the deaths. Local opposition leaders staged protests at the site of the tragedy on Monday, demanding accountability.

Tamil Nadu permits the sale of alcohol, but illicit liquor, which is cheaper than legally sold alcohol, thrives on the black market. Reports indicate that impoverished labourers in Kallakurichi district regularly purchased the illicit liquor in inexpensive plastic bags priced at 60 rupees per serving, often consuming it before starting their workday. However, this batch of alcohol proved catastrophic. Some victims suffered blindness, while others collapsed and died on the streets before they could reach medical help.

Similar incidents have been reported across India in recent years. In 2021, at least 27 people died from poisonous alcohol in Bihar, and in 2022, 42 deaths were reported in Gujarat due to toxic liquor consumption.

AFP