NEET-aspirant’s death revives total prohibition demand

CHENNAI/TIRUNELVELI: The death of a 17-year-old medical aspirant in Tirunelveli district on Wednesday revived the demand for immediate closure of TASMAC shops in the State.

The youth, identified as Dinesh Nallavisan, was enrolled to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) on May 6. His body was found hanging from a railway overbridge at Vannarapettai in the district in the early hours of Wednesday with note purported to have been written by him blaming his father’s drinking for his death and urging the State government to close the State-run liquor shops. He is alleged to have committed suicide.

According to sources, the youth was the son of one Madasamy from Reddiapatti village near Sankarankovil. As news spread of his death and content of the note, opposition parties in the State renewed their demand that TASMAC shops in the State be shut, with PMK youth wing president Anbumani Ramadoss calling for implementation of total prohibition. However, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, expressing grief, spelt out the government’s stand.

“Total prohibition is not possible immediately and closing down liquor shops in a phased manner is the only possibility,” he said. “Alcoholism is a social issue.  If alcoholics do not reform themselves, alcoholism cannot be eliminated,” he told media, when asked about the incident. It may be recalled that during the 2016 State Assembly elections, the DMK promised total prohibition if voted to power while the AIADMK promised phased prohibition. There are some 4800 TASMAC shops in TN. Recently, the Madras High Court ordered the shutting of another 1700 shops for violating the highway liquor ban. The State has appealed against the order.