Chennai: On Tuesday, police announced that two persons had died in the Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu from "alcohol-related causes," and that they had formed five investigative teams to look into the deaths.
According to IANS, police discovered the remains of the two people on Monday night, and a bottle of alcohol was located nearby. Cyanide was detected in the liquor during analysis.
However, the police have not yet determined what exactly caused death.
Sources in the police however said that it can be a case of suicide but have not revealed anything as of yet.
A 59-year-old man named Palanigurunathan and a 63-year-old woman named Poorasami, both of Mayiladuthurai's Thathankudi main road, Kuthalam taluk, have been confirmed dead.
Palanigurunathan, a blacksmith, was running a workshop where Poorasami was employed.
According to a senior officer with the Mayiladuthurai police, who spoke with IANS, the investigation must determine if one of the two intentionally poisoned the drink with cyanide to kill the other.
A few days ago two people died in Thanjavur after consuming liquor from a Tasmac shop. It was found that one of the persons had laced the liquor with cyanide and committed suicide.
However, the second person drank the remaining liquor without realising it was poisoned.—Inputs from Agencies