Chennai: The Justice Gokuldas Commission has held that negligence by police and revenue department officials was a key reason behind the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy in which 70 people died after consuming methanol-laced illicit liquor.
The commission’s report, submitted to the Tamil Nadu Assembly, relates to the incident on June 19 and 20, 2024, in Karunapuram, Madhavacheri and Seshsamuthiram areas of Kallakurichi district. Besides the deaths, 161 people reportedly suffered vision loss and permanent disability.
As part of the inquiry, the commission examined 433 witnesses, including 157 survivors who suffered partial or permanent disability and 69 relatives of those who died. Officials from law and order police, the prohibition enforcement wing, and departments including revenue, forest and health were also questioned.
The report states that if authorities responsible for monitoring the storage, transport and sale of methanol had performed their duties, methanol would not have reached Kallakurichi from Chennai and the tragedy could have been prevented. It alleges deliberate negligence and dereliction of duty by police personnel in Kallakurichi, Sankarapuram and Kachirapalayam, and says their links with traders allowed the illicit liquor business to operate without obstruction.
It also holds village assistants, village administrative officers, revenue inspectors and tahsildars in the three taluks responsible for failing in their duties, and notes that after similar methanol-related deaths in neighbouring Villupuram district in 2023, stronger preventive action should have been taken in Kallakurichi. The commission further points to a long-running illicit liquor network and says preventive measures such as externment orders against key sellers were not effectively used.
