3 men, boy, 15, die post booze party in Sivakasi

Madurai: Four people, including a

boy

, died after consuming liquor in Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district on Sunday. Preliminary investigation by police suggests that the liquor was laced with poison.

Six others, including a 13-year-old boy are undergoing treatment in a hospital. They are said to be out of danger.

The deceased have been identified as A Gautham,

15

, of Lingapuram Colony in East Sivakasi; Mohammed Ibrahim, 22, of Velayutha Rastha area; M Ganesh, 20, of Kamarajarpuram Colony; and D Murugan, 28, of Muthukamachimadam. They were load men and construction workers.

Police sources said the boy and six others purchased liquor of various brands and consumed them near the Sirukulam tank in Sivakasi town police limits on Sunday morning. After that, they collapsed one after another. Three of them were taken to the Sivakasi Government Hospital, where they were declared dead. One of them died at his house.

Police said the men might have consumed liquor mixed with poison. Virudhunagar district superintendent of police M Rajarajan said they were inquiring whether someone had intentionally mixed poison in the liquor or the victims had mixed some substance to get a high.

“We have formed seven teams, each led by an inspector-level police officer, to investigate,” Rajarajan said. The police have collected samples from the crime scene and sent them to the lab for testing.

South Zone IG Shanmuga Rajeswaran said that many others had been drinking with them and were now at large.