Indian police announced on Monday that the death toll from consuming locally produced alcohol had increased to 56, with 117 individuals hospitalized, several of whom are in critical condition.
According to AFP, smoke from funeral pyres filled the sky above the town at the center of this tragic incident in Kallakurichi district, Tamil Nadu, where a contaminated batch of illegal alcohol resulted in a significant loss of life and health emergencies.
Grieving family members adorned coffins with flower wreaths, mourning the deceased as the community gathered in shock.
The locally made ‘arrack’, consumed last week, was laced with methanol, leading to blindness and severe health complications.
Kokila, a 16-year-old girl who lost both parents to the toxic alcohol, is determined to honour their memory. “My father wanted me to be an engineer,” she said. “That is why I will study and become one.”
Every year, many in India die from consuming cheaply made alcohol from illicit distilleries.
However, last week’s poisoning stands out as one of the most severe incidents in recent memory.
Methanol is often added to these illegal brews to increase potency, despite its dangerous effects, including blindness, liver damage, and death.
A senior district police official, Rajat Chaturvedi, reported to AFP, “56 people have died so far and around 117 people are currently under medical treatment.”
The tragedy has sparked political blame games, with local opposition politicians staging protests at the site.
Poor labourers in Kallakurichi district frequently purchased this liquor in plastic bags for 60 rupees, $0.70, typically consuming it before work. This particular batch proved deadly, causing blindness in some and sudden death in others.
Murugan, whose 55-year-old father Vijayan died after consuming the tainted alcohol, expressed his grief, stating that government compensation could not replace his loss. “Despite repeated requests, he continued to consume liquor in the evening after work,” Murugan said. “The government has given us money, but I can’t get my father back.”
While Tamil Nadu permits the sale of alcohol, the cheaper black-market liquor remains popular.
In regions of India where alcohol is banned, this drives a thriving and hazardous illicit trade.
Last year, a similar incident in Bihar claimed at least 27 lives, and in 2022, 42 people died in Gujarat from poisonous alcohol.
This recent incident underscores the ongoing dangers of illicit alcohol consumption in India and the devastating impact on affected communities.
