Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Hooch toll 13, two policemen suspended

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI NOV. 28. The toll in Thursday's hooch tragedy at Lakshmipuram near Ponneri in Tiruvallur district has gone up to 13. Two sub-inspectors, Mahboob Sharief attached to the Prohibition Enforcement Wing, Ponneri and Gunasekaran of the Ponneri police station, were placed under suspension pending enquiry.

A senior police officer said methanol (methyl alcohol) is strongly suspected to be the cause of the deaths. The main task for the police now was to save the lives of the victims. Police personnel were visiting nearby villages and persuading all those who consumed the poisonous brew to go to hospital. The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Chengalpattu range, S.G. Rajendran, and district police officials were camping at Ponneri.

Mr. Rajendran said Farooq, who was wanted by the police in connection with the sale of the brew, had earlier been detained under the Bootleggers Act. He surfaced again at Lakshmipuram a week ago. A special police party was formed to nab him.

Our Kancheepuram Staff Reporter reports:

The DIG told The Hindu that in all 92 persons (all men) from Lakshmipuram, Perumbedu, Arasur and Lingapayyanpettai hamlets in the coastal belt in Ponneri taluk were admitted to the General Hospital in Chennai after first-aid at the Ponneri Government Hospital. Postmortem was conducted on 12 bodies and they were handed over to the relatives.

The DIG said a number of prohibition offenders in Tiruvallur district were rehabilitated last week. The police and revenue officials were keeping vigil.

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