Malappuram, Kerala: Kerala Government on Wednesday sought the services of a sitting High Court judge to conduct judicial investigation into the hooch tragedy in Malappuram which claimed 23 lives. Five persons have already been arrested as part of the investigations and toddy shops closed down in three districts.
With the fear of the spurious liquor spreading to nearby areas, toddy shops in Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur districts were shut down after one person was admitted to hospital in Thrissur with eye problem after consuming toddy.
A Deputy Commissioner and an Assistant Commissioner of Excise in Malappuram were placed under arrest. Authorities have indicated that action against more officials is likely in the coming days.
The preliminary assessment based on analyses of samples collected from the affected areas was that toddy was laced with methyl alcohol to make it more stimulating, official sources said.
Police had arrested two more persons today, taking the total arrests to five in the case, including Unnikrishnan and Balakrishnan, the licensees of the toddy shop at Kuttippuram in Malappuram where most of the casualties happened.
Those arrested on Tuesday included one Dhravyan, the key suspect who was allegedly running the shop at Kuttippuram as benami for the licensees.
According to police and excise sources, the toddy was sourced mainly from Palakkad district and it was mixed with chemical substances to increase the kick.
Searches conducted at the house and godown of Dravyan last night yielded documents throwing light into the wealth amassed by him through liquor trade, sources said.
Enraged people in Malappuram and Palakkad let loose their ire at toddy shops in many places in the area.
A meeting of the state cabinet announced a solatium of Rs five lakh each for the kin of those who died and Rs four lakh each for those who lost the eyesight.
Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said murder charges would be brought against the culprits and authorities had been asked to take stringent action against adulteration of liquor.
The tragedy came at a time when liquor consumption and sales reached dangerous proportions in Kerala, especially during the festival season.
It also came as an embarrassment to the ruling LDF as the state is getting for the local body polls of next month.
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