Three men die after consuming spurious liquor in Villupuram; two police inspectors suspended

Three men died and nearly 15 have been hospitalised after they allegedly consumed spurious liquor at Vamba Medu near Marakkanam in Villupuram district in the early hours of Sunday, May 14. The victims began arriving at hospitals in neighbouring Puducherry and Villupuram after consuming the brew on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

Three men died and nearly 15 have been hospitalised after they allegedly consumed spurious liquor at Vamba Medu near Marakkanam in Villupuram district in the early hours of Sunday, May 14. The victims began arriving at hospitals in neighbouring Puducherry and Villupuram after consuming the brew on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

The deceased victims have been identified as Sankar, 55, Dharanivel, 50, and Suresh, 65 of Ekkiyarkuppam in Marakkanam.

The police have arrested one Amaran, 25, of Mariamman Kovil Street in Marakkanam who reportedly sold the brew.

The Director General of Police C. Sylendra Babu ordered the suspension of Inspectors - Arun Vadivel Azhagan (Marakkanam) and Maria Sobi Manjula (Kottakuppam - Prohibition Enforcement Wing) in connection with the incident.

Police said the brew was suspected to be spurious liquor.

Police sources said a group of over 15 persons, mostly fishermen from the coastal hamlet of Ekkiyarkuppam, had purchased the brew from Amaran. The brew was reportedly a cocktail of methanol and chemicals and water, which was sold to them as arrack. The villagers started falling ill after consuming the brew on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

They were immediately rushed to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) and Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) where Sankar, Dharanivel and Suresh succumbed.