The death toll in the Marakkanam spurious liquor tragedy rose to nine, with three more victims who were undergoing treatment at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital, succumbing on Monday. The deceased were identified as Kesava Velu, 70, and Vijayan, 55, both hailing from Ekkiyarkuppam and Sankar, 57, of Marakkanam.
Official sources said, at present, 40 persons are undergoing treatment in Villupuram, three at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry and one at the Puducherry Government General Hospital.
The victims, mostly fishermen from Ekkiyarkuppam, had purchased the brew from Amaran, 25 who has since been arrested. The victims began arriving in hospital in Villupuram and Puducherry on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, the police detained as many as 55 arrack sellers in intense raids held across Villupuram district on Monday. Police said as many as 56 cases were registered against the arrack sellers. About 109 litres of illicit distilled arrack and 428 bottles of liquor were seized.
