The lockdown had affected many sectors in society including the ones who are addicted to the consumption of alcohol. (For representation) The lockdown had affected many sectors in society including the ones who are addicted to the consumption of alcohol. (For representation)

Two tipplers in Kottaipattinam town near Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu died on Friday after consuming shaving lotion with a soft drink as a substitute for alcohol. The sale of alcohol is suspended in the state in the wake of the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

According to the Kottaipattinam police, Anwar Raja (34), Arun Pandian (29) and Hasan Maideen (31) belonging to the fishing community were depressed due to the non-availability of alcohol in their town. To overcome this situation, on Thursday evening the trio had consumed shaving lotion with a soft drink as a substitute for alcohol. They had been lying unconscious till Friday morning and were rushed to a nearby government hospital where Pandian and Maideen they were declared dead. Raja is currently been treated at a private hospital in Aranthangi. The Kottaipattinam police have registered a case and carrying out the investigation.

TASMAC, which is considered as a cash cow for the state government had closed all its outlets on the eve of March 24. The blanket ban has paved the way for black market where liquors are sold thrice the maximum retail price. In some of the remote towns, there have been instances of people looting the liquor from the vulnerable spots. Due to this scenario, the superintendents in the districts have directed the TASMAC managers to shift the alcohol stock from Individual outlets to TASMAC godown in the districts.

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