AIADMK legislators demand adjournment of House; stage walkout over Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy

Ruckus erupted in the House after AIADMK leaders demanded discussion on the Kallakurichi illicit liquor tragedy, flagged black clothes and raised slogans in the Assembly.

The opposition also demanded the resignation of chief minister MK Stalin.

The development comes after as many as 17 people lost their lives after consuming methanol-laced liquor in Kallakurichi.

The leaders staged a walkout after Speaker M Appavu rejected AIADMK leaders' demand to adjourn the Question Hour to discuss the issue. On Friday, AIADMK MLAs were evicted from the House after they staged a sit-in protest.

Meanwhile, AIADMK leader Edappadi Palaniswami, on Saturday lashed out at the state government and said that according to the information they have received, 55 people have died in the hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi.

"Speaker Appavu refused to give time to speak about the Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy. According to the information which we got 183 were affected by the Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy. The government is so lethargic. 55 died according to the information we got. 183 was affected. If the Government acts in a rush many lives could have been saved," he said.

"The Minister says people died because they came for treatment with delay. But who is the reason for that? The government is the reason. The first day the District Collector refused the illicit liquor in Kallakurichi," the AIADMK leader added.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Health Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Subramanian Ma on Friday said that 50 people lost their lives in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy after consuming methanol mixed with poisonous illicit liquor that took place on June 19.

The Tamil Nadu Health Minister met the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy victims at Government Medical College and Hospital and inquired about the treatment being provided to them.

"Till now, 185 people have been hospitalised at four hospitals, Kallakurichi Hospital, JIPMER Hospital in Puducherry, Salem government hospital, and Viluppuram Government Hospital. Till now, 50 people have died. Our higher officials have been here for the past three days and are continuously monitoring the situation," the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader said.

Earlier, the second day of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Session that began on Friday also witnessed a ruckus as AIADMK legislators sporting black clothes raised slogans inside the House over the hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi.

The Speaker Appavu ordered the watch and ward staff, which performs security duties inside the Assembly, to evict AIADMK MLAs from the Assembly hall.

The Assembly session is scheduled to continue until June 29.

Earlier, three accused in the Kallakurichi illicit liquor case were sent to 15 days of judicial custody and taken to Cudallore Central prison. Kallakurichi police produced the accused before the district combined court.

According to the police, the accused have been identified as Govindaraj, Damadoran and Vijaya.

The accused have been taken to Cuddalore Central Prison from Kallakurichi Combined District Court.

The Tamil Nadu government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the tragedy. The inquiry will be led by retired Madras High Court judge Justice B Gokuldas. Justice Gokuldas will submit a report within three months.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin announced Rs 10 lakh each for the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the persons under treatment. A one-man commission, comprising former judge Justice B Gokuldas, announced for probing the matter, and the report to be submitted within 3 months.

The CB-CID of Tamil Nadu police, which was handed over charge of investigating the tragedy, commenced a probe under SP Shantharam.

Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased victims, with those under treatment to receive Rs 50,000 each.

Victims are undergoing treatment at the Kallakurichi Government Medical College and Hospital and in hospitals in Salem, Villupuram, and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry. (ANI)