In the wake of the devastating hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi that has claimed over 40 lives, police forces in Coimbatore and other Western districts of Tamil Nadu have launched an extensive crackdown on the sale of illegal and spurious liquor. This intensive drive aims to prevent a recurrence of such tragic incidents.Multiple teams, including sleuths from the Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW), conducted coordinated searches in Pollachi, Mettupalayam, Perur, Karumathampatty, and Valparai regions. The raids, which began on Wednesday night, spanned 32 police station jurisdictions, resulting in the arrest of 98 individuals across 102 cases. Authorities seized 1,092 liquor bottles and 203 liters of toddy during the operation.
Samples of the seized liquor have been sent for laboratory testing to determine whether they were purchased from authorized TASMAC shops or were spurious in nature. This measure is critical to identify the source and ensure stricter regulatory compliance.
Superintendent of Police V Badrinarayan emphasized the intensified drive against illegal liquor sales across the district. “We are committed to eradicating the menace of spurious liquor to protect public health and safety,” he stated.
In a related operation, Coimbatore city police apprehended a man in the Nanjundapuram area for illegal liquor sales, confiscating 20 liquor bottles from him. Similarly, in Salem, police arrested six individuals, including two women, for selling illicit arrack, seizing approximately 53 liters of the illegal brew.
The crackdown has not been without controversy. In Pollachi, a group of farmers affiliated with the Narayanaswamy Naidu Farmers Protection Association petitioned Pollachi DSP V Jayachandran, condemning the police action against toddy tappers. The farmers argued that over 200 individuals rely on tapping neera and toddy for their livelihood and criticized the state for targeting toddy sales while allowing liquor shops to operate.
“More than 200 farmers are tapping neera and toddy in Pollachi area for their livelihood. After the hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi, police have begun to curb down on toddy sales. When toddy sale is allowed in Kerala, why should it be banned in Tamil Nadu alone? The state should first close liquor shops rather than targeting the farmers. If police continue to disturb toddy tapping farmers, the farmers will sell toddy in front of Gandhi statue in Pollachi as a mark of protest,” the farmers stated in their petition.
The tragic events in Kallakurichi have prompted swift and decisive action from law enforcement agencies across Tamil Nadu. While the crackdown aims to eliminate the threat of illicit liquor, it also highlights the need for balanced regulations that consider the livelihoods of local communities. The state’s response and the outcomes of the ongoing enforcement drive will be critical in shaping future policies to prevent such tragedies and ensure public safety.