Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 26 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday said that he is thankful who are working in the field of creating awareness against drugs, adding that NIA has found out that international drug cartels in Tamil Nadu and Karachi are operating and getting heroin from Afghanistan.
He also expressed pain over the loss of lives in the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy as the death toll in the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district rose to 58, the district administration said today.
He was speaking at the launch of the National Awareness campaign on ‘Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ in Chennai.
Governor RN Ravi said, “Tomorrow is International Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. We are doing this event on the eve of it. This event today is unlike any other day because we are observing this day in the dark shadow of a large number of loss of human lives. Our people have died more than 60 in Kallakurichi due to poisonous alcohol that they took”.
“This is very very painful for all of us. I am thankful to all of you who are working in the field of creating awareness against drugs…,” Governor RN Ravi said in his speech.
He also said that the National Investigations Agency during its investigation has found out about the presence of International drug cartels in Tamil Nadu operating from Afghanistan.
“NIA has found out that there are international drug cartels in Tamil Nadu and Karachi that are operating and getting heroin from Afghanistan. It is being done. I think it is a very serious thing,” Governor RN Ravi said.
Speaking on the ill effects of the drug, Governor Ravi said, “When the drug comes, It is not that it only destroys the individual health, mental health, emotional health, but with this, it also creates a lot of social problems”.
Till now, 32 people have died at the Government Kallakurichi Medical College and Hospital, 20 people have died at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College in Salem.
Four people passed away at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital. Three people have died at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry.
A total of 223 patients were admitted to four hospitals after consuming illicit liquor.
The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day, is marked on 26 June every year to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free of drug abuse. (ANI)