Two die after consuming Tasmac liquor in Mayiladuthurai; traces of cyanide found, says Collector

Two persons were found dead in a village near Manganallur in Mayiladuthurai district, a few hours after they reportedly consumed liquor purchased from a Tasmac shop, late on Monday.

Two men were found dead in a village near Manganallur in Mayiladuthurai district, a few hours after they reportedly consumed liquor purchased from a Tasmac shop, late on Monday, June 12, 2023. Collector A.P. Mahabharathi told The Hindu, the preliminary findings by a forensic team revealed traces of cyanide in the liquor sample.

Police sources said Palanigurunathan, 56, a blacksmith and resident of Thathankudi Main Road in Kuthalam taluk, was running a workshop on Manganallur Main Road. Poorasamy, 65, who hails from the same area, was working as a labourer at the workshop.

On Monday evening, both of them had collapsed near the workshop, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Perambur police station. Neighbours rushed them to Government Hospital at Mayiladuthurai, where they were declared dead. Their bodies were sent to the Government Thiruvarur Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

Two bottles of Tasmac liquor, suspected to have been consumed by the duo, were reportedly found a few meters away from where they collapsed. The Perambur police rushed to the spot, recovered the liquor bottles, and sent the samples of liquor to a laboratory for testing.

Collector AP. Mahabharathi told The Hindu, the preliminary findings by a team of experts from the forensic laboratory revealed traces of cyanide in the liquor sample extracted from the bottle. Further investigation would be conducted based on the viscera report, he added.

The police also registered a case under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The cause of death would be ascertained only after the postmortem and lab reports, said a police officer, and added that five special teams have been formed to investigate the case.