In a significant development regarding the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss has called on the Tamil Nadu government to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Ramadoss alleges that efforts are being made to protect those responsible for the incident.
In a strongly worded statement, Ramadoss accused the state government of attempting to shield the accused. He argued that the deaths should not be seen merely as a failure of the police department but as murders facilitated by government machinery with political backing. He further claimed that hooch sellers have connections with local MLAs and a minister, leading to a compromised First Information Report (FIR) that he said “murdered the justice.”
Ramadoss highlighted that Karunapuram, a central location in Kallakurichi, saw illicit alcohol being sold within 100 meters of key government offices, including courts, police stations, and the taluk office. He noted that patrons of the illegal trade would pass by these offices visibly intoxicated, making the authorities’ ignorance implausible. Contrarily, the FIR states that the hooch was sold at Karunapuramās burial ground, a detail Ramadoss believes could derail the investigation.
He also criticized the initial response by the district collector, Sravan Kumar Jatavath, who was transferred and who initially attributed the deaths to diarrhea. Ramadoss called for Jatavath’s indictment for this misleading claim.
Moreover, Ramadoss pointed fingers at local political figures, alleging that MLA Vasantham Karthikeyan acts as the de facto chief minister of Kallakurichi and, along with Sankarapuram MLA Udhayasuriyan, protects the hooch sellers. He stressed that transferring the case to the CBI is crucial to ensure a fair and thorough investigation, free from local political influences.