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Toll in hooch tragedy reaches 45

The toll in the August 22 hooch tragedy at Paruvoothi and Yenasolai villages in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu rose to 45, with five more people succumbing to the killer brew in hospitals on Monday.

Police sources said 125 others are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the district. Twenty are in a serious condition. About 25 people have lost their eye sight.

So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with the incident, sources said.

Talking to newsmen, Union Law Minister M Thambidurai demanded the resignation of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his "failure" to curb the illicit liquor menace. The All India Anna DMK had last month urged the government to take steps to check the "free flow" of illicit arrack in the state. The centre would intervene in the matter, he added.

AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalitha, in a message in Madras, blamed the Karunanidhi government for the tragedy and demanded that the government take action against the culprits.

UNI

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