NHRC notice to Tamil Nadu govt over hooch tragedy

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent notices to the Tamil Nadu government and the state police chief over the death of several people after they allegedly consumed spurious liquor in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts, officials said on Tuesday.

Apparently, the state government failed to prohibit the sale and consumption of illicit or spurious liquor, the commission said in a statement.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that many people have died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu since May 12 and several others have been hospitalised.

At least 14 people have died so far after consuming spurious liquor and more than 50 have been hospitalised, state officials have said.

The commission has observed that the content of the media reports, if true, amount to violation of right to life of the people. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of Tamil Nadu, seeking a detailed report within four weeks, the statement said.

It should include the status of the FIR registered by the police, medical treatment of the victims and compensation, if any, granted to the aggrieved families. The commission would also like to know about the action taken against the delinquent officers, responsible for the tragedy, it said.

According to the media reports, the illicit liquor sold as ''arrack'' was a cocktail of methanol, chemicals and water and consumed by the mostly fisherman from the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, the statement added.

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