Three persons died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in the district, police said on Sunday.

Four police personnel have been suspended in connection with the incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said.

He also announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the victims. The incident occurred at Ekkiyarkuppam at Marakanam near here on Saturday night and the victims were aged between 45 to 55 years, police said. Two persons, who also consumed the illicit liquor, have been admitted to a government hospital in neighbouring Puducherry, police said. A case has been registered and one person has been arrested for selling the spurious liquor.

In a statement released in Chennai, Chief Minister Stalin expressed grief and shock over the death of the three men. While underscroing his government's resolve to eradicate the menace of hooch and drugs, he also said four police personnel, including two inspectors, have been suspended in connection with the Marakkanam incident. He announced Rs 50,000 to those under medical treatment. Opposition AIADMK and PMK slammed the ruling DMK over the incident. AIADMK general secretary and Leader of Opposition, K Palaniswami, said during his party-led 10 year-rule (2011-21), there was no place for illicit liquor and blamed the ruling DMK's "inefficiency" for the Marakkanam deaths. "Steps should be at least taken now against illicit liquor," he said in a tweet. In a tweet, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss sought action against officials concerned over the sale of hooch and reiterated his party's demand for ending nationalisation of liquor sales in the state as well as implementation of prohibition.

Meanwhile, residents of Marakanam staged a road-blockade on the East Coast Road over the issue. Traffic was disrupted in the arterial road for sometime due to the protests, police said.

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