‘Government should be held responsible’

The State government should be held responsible for the death of a Plus Two student in Tirunelveli who committed suicide depressed over his father’s alcoholism, said Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary K. Balakrishnan.

Talking to the media on the sidelines of the party’s State committee meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Balakrishnan said that the State had lost a good student and a future doctor. “The State government should take responsibility,” he said.

Pointing out that the deceased had left a suicide note appealing to the State government to close down Tasmac outlets, Mr. Balakrishnan said that at least now, the government should act and close the shops in a phased manner.

Terming the boy’s death shocking and sad, PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss said Dinesh’s suicide ought to shake the conscience of the ruling dispensation in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan said that the society could be freed from the ills of liquor only through total prohibition. “The State government should provide ₹25 lakh as compensation to Dinesh’s family,” he said.