The latest calamity that has plunged Karunapuram of Kallakurichi district in deep distress and left the rest of the State in total shock came without any warning as the local people did not realize that Kannukutty alias Govindarajan, their resident arrack supplier, was actually dispensing poison to his patrons on Wednesday. Though some people took ill in the morning itself and were writhing in stomach pain, no alarm was raised on the possibility of Kannkutty’s arrack sachets being the culprit. When more people were admitted to hospital, too, the authorities were trying to say that those patients suffered from health problems, which did not prevent more people calling on Kannukutti.
In fact, some relatives who came to see those who had suddenly taken ill had their rendezvous with Kannukutty before taking the sick men to hospital without knowing the real cause of the ailment. Though warning of the local hooch turning poison was floating, the district collector dispelled those ‘rumours’ that send more people to Kannukutty' s den. The outlet of Kannukutti in Karunapuram is familiar to everyone in the locality, as some women who spoke to television channels said, and had been functioning without any interruption for at least two decades.
Once in a while police will pick up the man and even incarcerate him under Goondas Act but the outlet would not be closed. When the man of the house goes to jail, his wife, Vijaya, will take his place or his brother, Damodaran, will preside .
