The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday said it has issued notices to the Tamil Nadu Government and police chief in connection with the hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi district and sought a report in a week.

The death toll in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy climbed to 58 on Monday. As many as 219 people have been admitted to various hospitals.

 In a statement, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that several people lost their lives after “consuming spurious liquor” in Kallakurichi.

Reportedly, a large number of people including women are under treatment in hospitals and some of them are in critical condition. The content of the news report, if true, raises a serious issue of violation of the right to life of the victims, it said.

States have the exclusive power to regulate the production, manufacture, possession, transport, purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors.

Accordingly, notices have been issued to the chief secretary and the director general of police of Tamil Nadu, seeking a detailed report within one week, the statement said.

According to the latest reports, as on Monday, the death toll in the hooch tragedy surged to 58  while  111 persons are undergoing treatment at Kallakurichi Government Medical College hospital. At Puducherry 11 persons, in Salem district 30 persons, and in Villupuram district 4 persons are undergoing treatment at various government hospitals, as per the authorities from the hospitals.