Tamil Nadu hooch deaths, Kanchenjunga Express accident and more: The week in 5 charts

This week’s stories include hooch deaths in Tamil Nadu, Kanchenjunga train accident, Israel’s airstrikes in Gaza and Delhi’s heatwave deaths. Here are five charts that will help you understand these stories.

At least 59 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu. While deaths were recorded in the hundreds in earlier years, the count has remained lower in recent times. This year’s toll is the highest for the State in 12 years. From 2012 to 2019, the State recorded no deaths due to spurious liquor consumption. However, this trend seems to be reversing in the past couple years. Last year, around 22 people died in north Tamil Nadu after drinking illegal liquor.

However, compared to other States, deaths between 2018 to 2022 is still lower in Tamil Nadu. For instance, Madhya Pradesh recorded over 900 deaths in the same period. Punjab and Karnataka recorded over 700.

Victims of spurious liquor usually belong to the poorer sections of society, like daily wage labourers. The Indian Made Foreign Brand liquors sold by State liquor outlets are more expensive than the hooch sold illegally. After back-breaking work, hooch is an affordable option to ease body pain for many.

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Amid calls from the Opposition for his resignation on moral grounds, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin constituted a one-man commission headed by Justice B. Gokuldas, former judge of the Madras High Court, to conduct a thorough inquiry into the deaths in Kallakurichi. The committee has been mandated to submit its report to the government within three months.

Four people have been arrested. This includes the prime accused involved in supplying the brew, a bootlegger, his wife and brother.

Editorial:Killer moonshine: On the hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi