Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Illicit liquor claims one life near Ennore

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, APRIL 22. A 28-year-old man died at the Government General Hospital today, two days after he consumed illicit liquor at Kasikoil Kuppam, near Ennore. Two of his relatives died in their home on Tuesday and are also suspected to have consumed hooch. The police, however, said the women died of natural causes.

While Sahayam, scrap iron merchant, died at the hospital today, his mother-in-law, 48-year-old Kala, and her 80-year-old mother, Lakshmi, died in the village on Tuesday. Michael, a friend of Sahayam, is undergoing treatment at the hospital. They both belong to Lily Pond area near Chennai Central.

The two men went to the village on Monday and consumed the illicit brew that evening. The next morning they began to vomit and complained of giddiness and returned to the city. On Tuesday afternoon, Kala and her mother died in their home. One of the victims' relatives said the women consumed the hooch along with Sahayam and Michael on Monday. He said he was warned by other villagers not to talk to government officials or reporters about the cause of the women's death.

He said he was afraid to speak out fearing vindictive action against him by those villagers who connived with liquor vendors. He said the bodies of his relatives were buried by the villagers even before a post-mortem was conducted. He said illicit liquor was available freely in the village. The police picked up Vittal, Kala's husband, and their 12-year-old son, Balamurugan, for an enquiry last night and were yet to sent them back home, he said.

Neighbours of Kala were tight-lipped and said the family had moved into the house only a couple of months ago from Thaanankuppam, near Ennore. They said illicit liquor was not available at Kasikoil Kuppam though a few persons sold the brew in places bordering their village.

However, the police said the women died due to poor health and not because of liquor consumption. They said Kala was suffering from an ailment for nearly two weeks. Her mother died of heart attack after she learnt of the death of her daughter. Police officials of the Ennore sub-division confirmed that the women were buried without a post-mortem.

S.G. Rajendran, Deputy Inspector-General of police, Chengai Range, said they were interrogating a woman who allegedly sold the liquor on Tuesday. The body of Sahayam was sent for post-mortem.

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