The final report of the one-member commission headed by retired Justice P. Gokuldas, which investigated the 2024 Kallakurichi hooch tragedy, was officially tabled in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
The commission has held several government officials responsible for failing to prevent and control the sale of illicit liquor in Kallakurichi district. It said negligence and failure to take preventive measures by officials played a major role in the tragedy that claimed 65 lives.
The report pointed to lapses by officials of the Prohibition and Excise Department, Police Department and Revenue Department. It identified 12 officials as responsible for the incident.
The commission also observed that negligence by officials responsible for monitoring transportation and sale enabled the poisonous chemical methanol to be transported from Chennai to Kallakurichi.
Police personnel who served at the Sankarapuram and Chitrappallam police stations, personnel attached to the Tirukovilur Prohibition Enforcement Wing, police sub-inspectors and supervisory officers were among those held responsible.
The report also identified village assistants, village administrative officers, revenue inspectors and tahsildars serving in the affected areas as responsible for lapses.
The Justice P. Gokuldas Commission has strongly recommended immediate departmental proceedings against all officials who failed to prevent the illicit liquor trade or acted negligently.
The report has recommended departmental action against officials who served between May 2023 and June 19, 2024, in connection with the lapses.
With the report now tabled in the Assembly, attention has turned to the action the Tamil Nadu Government will take against the officials identified by the commission.
