CHENNAI: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan has demanded the resignation of Tamil Nadu Prohibition and Excise Minister S. Muthusamy over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy.

Addressing the media, L Murugam stated that in the 2023 Marakkanam incident where several people died by consuming illegal arrack, an order was issued for a CB-CID investigation but no action has been taken so far. Urging the government to not ignore the Kallakurichi incident the same way and to go beyond setting up an inquiry commission, he demanded it to take decisive steps to control the spread of illicit liquor across the state such as closing down TASMAC shops.

"Chief Minister Stalin should visit Kallakurichi and meet the affected people. Immediate resignation of the minister Muthusamy will be the justice given to the affected people," L Murugan reiterated.

Meanwhile, the main suspect in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy was arrested by the Prohibition Enforcement Wing on Sunday morning from MGR Nagar in Chennai and handed over to the CB-CID for further investigation.

As of Sunday morning, at least 57 people from Kallakurichi's Karunapuram area have died after reportedly drinking 'paper arrack' mixed with methanol on June 19. As of Saturday evening, 203 people remain admitted at Kallakurichi, JIPMER, Salem and Mundiambakkam government hospitals while 40 bodies have been handed over to their families after post-mortem.