CHENNAI: Six patients undergoing treatment at JIPMER, Puducherry after consumption of spurious liquor in Kallakurichi are in a critical condition, according to Thanthi TV reports.

19 people from Karunapuram area of Kallakurichi district were admitted to JIPMER after reportedly drinking 'paper arrack' mixed with methanol on Wednesday. 3 of them died that evening.

Also Read: TVK chief Vijay slams DMK over Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, urges state to take strict action

10 of the remaining patients from Karunapuram are on ventilator support and in the intensive care unit for life-saving treatment. The six others are in a critical condition and are battling for life.

The death toll in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy case rose to 40 on Thursday evening. At least 100 people are hospitalised for treatment.

23 people who were admitted at Kallakurichi Government Hospital along with the three people at Pondicherry's JIIPMER, have succumbed.

At the Villupuram Government Hospital, four died, while nine have died at the Salem Government Hospital.

Also Read: Kallakurichi hooch toll hits 40; more heads roll, one-man panel headed by ex-HC judge to probe

Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced Rs 10 lakh assistance to each of the families of those who died after consuming illicit arrack in Karunapuram in Kallakurichi on Wednesday. He also announced Rs 50,000 in aid to those who are being treated in hospitals across districts.

So far, three accused - Govinda Raj, alias Kannukutty, his wife Vijaya, and brother Damodaran - have been arrested for selling spurious liquor in Karunapuram. Police have also seized 200 litres of pocket liquor that contained high levels of methanol.

CM Stalin also directed officials to notify a one-man commission to be led by retired Madras High Court Judge B Gokuldas to make recommendations to the government on measures to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents and also look into the reasons for the Kallakurichi deaths.

Opposition leaders allege ties between political leaders and illicit liquor sellers

Meanwhile, opposition party leaders have called for strict action to clamp down on the manufacture and sale of spurious alcohol.

AIADMK general secretary and the leader of the opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday had alleged that the DMK government failed to take action on prevalence of illicit liquor in Kallakurichi district despite his party’s Kallakurichi MLA M. Senthilkumar raising the issue multiple times.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has alleged that Govindaraj alias Kannukutty, who sold spurious liquor in Karunapuram in Kallakurichi, had links with DMK men.

Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Seeman too alleged that DMK men were involved in the sale of illicit liquor and wondered about the

status of the CB-CID probe ordered into the similar incident in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts last year where several people had died.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party chief, actor Vijay, too blamed the State administration for the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.

(With inputs from bureau)