Stalin: SPs will be held responsible for deaths caused by alcohol consumption

Prime Minister MK Stalin informed the assembly on Saturday that in case of death caused by alcohol consumption, the district police commissioner and other police officials concerned would be held responsible.

“I warned about this at a meeting of tax collectors and SPs held after the Kallakurichi incident,” Stalin told the House, concluding the debate on demands for subsidies for the police, fire and rescue services.

So far, a total of 65 people have died in the Kallakurichi liquor tragedy.

He questioned the AIADMK’s demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Kallakurichi incident. Referring to opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami’s remarks that the DMK (when it was in opposition) had demanded a CBI probe into the deaths of two persons in custody in Sattankulam (in June 2020), Mr Stalin stated, “It does not matter if two people or 20 people died. Even the death of a single person is a huge loss. Since the AIADMK tried to suppress and distort the matter (Sattanknulam incident), we demanded a CBI probe into the incident. But we did not hide anything (in the Kallakurichi incident). Within a short time, the culprits were arrested. Not a single person can escape.”

Listing the steps taken by his government after the Kallakurichi incident, Stalin said he had advised the police to be as forceful in eliminating narcotics as it was in cases of illegal liquor consumption. In the last two years, the authorities seized 46 properties worth Rs 18.05 crore belonging to people caught smuggling ganja.

On the Kodanad robbery-murder case, Stalin said that 268 witnesses were examined and the phones and four SIM cards used by the accused were sent to Coimbatore for forensic analysis. Since the accused had received calls from international numbers, the case had to be investigated with the help of Interpol.

Mr. Stalin also pointed out that during the DMK government, many religious events had taken place peacefully, including the car festival of the Swarnamutheeswarar Temple at Kandadevi in ​​Sivaganga district, which was held after an 18-year gap.

Lamenting the “attitude of the AIADMK” in the current session of the Assembly, Stalin pointed out that the opposition had targeted him and the “Dravidian model of governance” during the campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, the people had conceded a complete victory (to the DMK-led front). A look at the election results would show that the DMK front had gained a lead over the others in 221 Assembly constituencies, he added.