Thiruchirapalli

Amid scenes of tipplers kissing their bottles and women getting separate queues for buying liquor, tragedy struck in Tiruchy on day one of Tasmac outlets reopening on Thursday as a 45-year-old man allegedly died after consuming liquor. 

Saravanan, a server in a hotel in Big Bazaar area, reportedly bought liquor from a Tasmac outlet near the hotel and consumed it. Soon after, he fell unconscious near an Ayurveda medical shop in the area. Passers-by called the 108 Ambulance. 

However, the crew found him dead. The body was taken to Tiruchy GH for post mortem. After months of dry days, most of the tipplers were seen kissing the bottles. “It was the day for which I was waiting for,” said Karthikeyan from KK Nagar. “I am not a habitual drinker, but the restrictions forced me to purchase and have shot at it. 

My neighbour has reserved the remaining quota of three quarter bottles,” he added. In a few places like Tiruchy, Thanjavur and Pudukkottai, separate queues were established for women. A woman from Tiruchy said, she came to purchase liquor for her husband who was unable to come. 

Police also asked the men to give priority to the women in the queue. Of all things, the police were impressed by the disciple shown by the tipplers to get their quota. “They (tipplers) were very much obedient and we are impressed by their disciplined movement on the very first day. Since the norms were announced now and then, the customers who came earlier were waiting at a certain distance from the outlets,” said a police official in Tiruchy. 

Meanwhile, in Nagapattinam district six outlets located in residential areas were not opened due to stiff resistance from the villagers of Vilunthamavadi, Prathabaramapuram, Poovaithedi and Koorainadu.

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