http://www.webpage.com:80/hindu/daily/980828/04/0428223c.htm

>                              [THE HINDU]
>
>                       Friday, August 28, 1998
>                           SECTION: Regional
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             IG (Prohibition) shifted, solatium announced
>
>             Date: 28-08-1998 :: Pg: 04 :: Col: d
>
>             By Our Special Correspondent
>
>             CHENNAI, Aug. 27.
>
>             In the wake of the hooch tragedy in Hosur which claimed 41
>             lives, the Government has relieved Mr. I. Ravi Arumugam,
>             Inspector General of Police, of the responsibility of
>             prohibition enforcement, and posted him as IG, headquarters in
>             the office of the Director General of Police.
>
>             His shifting follows the transfer two days ago of the
>             Superintendent and the Assistant Superintendent of Police of
>             Dharmapuri district. The transfers were besides 15 police
>             personnel who had been placed under suspension consequent to
>             the incident.
>
>             The Government had announced an allocation of Rs. 5 lakhs to
>             be paid as solatium to the families of those who had died
>             after consuming the poisonous brew.
>
>             An official release stated that no relief was normally
>             extended in respect of deaths due to illicit liquor. However,
>             taking into consideration the representations received from
>             various political parties, the Chief Minister, Mr.
>             Karunanidhi, had decided to grant the solatium.
>
>             Our Special Correspondent reports from Dharmapuri:
>
>             Apart from arresting the Ullatti Panchayat councillor, Selvam,
>             alleged to be responsible for the tragedy, police have seized
>             the tanker that transported methanol which was used to prepare
>             the illicit arrack.
>
>             Mr. Muthukaruppan, DIG, CB, CID, and Mr. C. V. Rao, DIG,
>             Vellore Range, said Selvam was arrested on Wednesday by a
>             special team, led by Mr. Thirunavukkarasu, DSP, Denkanikota.
>
>             The tanker, owned by Sivalingam of Poonamalle, was identified
>             at Nazarethpet in Chengalpattu district on Wednesday.
>
>             The driver, Krishnan, and the cleaner, had also been arrested.
>
>             The tanker had been leased to a company to transport methanol
>             from a Pune company to a private sector unit at Mettur.
>
>             Chinnappayyan, one of the accused, has a tea shop on the
>             National Highway No 7 passing through Shoolagiri. He used to
>             collect kerosene, diesel and petrol from the vehicles passing
>             that way at a cheap rate and sell them at higher prices.
>
>             On Thursday (August 20), Selvam and his cousin, Thandavan,
>             were taking tea at the shop. Then they found a tanker carrying
>             methyl alcohol parked near the shop. They purchased 35 litres
>             of methyl alcohol, mixed it with water and sold it as arrack
>             which claimed 41 lives so far.
>
>             Chinnappayyan, who also consumed the stuff, had been admitted
>             to the Hosur GH. Thandvan has already been arrested.
>
>             Following the incident, intensive prohibition raids were
>             organised all over the Vellore Range and 1749 cases booked.
>
>             In Dharmapuri district alone, 710 persons were arrested
>             including 279 women. A quantity of 15,000 litres of fermented
>             wash and 5,577 litres of illicit arrack had been seized and
>             destroyed.
>
>             Apart from the DIGs, Mr. Maghudapathi, SP, CB, CID and Mr. J.
>             Rajendran, SP (in charge), Dharmapuri, are also camping at
>             Hosur.
>
>             About 60 persons are undergoing treatment at the Hosur GH,
>             while 68 are in the Krishnagiri Taluk Hospital.