As Tamil Nadu government has closed all non-essential establishments, including Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC), as part of the statewide lockdown to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, the three men in the state who were desperate to consume liquor have ended up by intaking the aftershave lotion as the substitute for the alcohol and of these three, two have died in the wee hours of Saturday while the other person has been getting treated at the hospital and remains critical.

According to the reports, the three men have been identified as Hassan Mydeen (33), Arun Pandiyan (30), and Anwar Raja (34) and the first two have died while Raja has been getting treatment in a critical condition in the private hospital in Pudukottai. They are native of Kottaipattinam in Pudukottai and they were addicted to the consumption of alcohol.

They became desperate to consume liquor amid the lockdown and after TASMAC has closed the shutters of its retail outlets across the state till April 14th with the view of the nationwide lockdown to avoid the gathering of people and to maintain social distancing, the trio had determined to search an alternative in the absence of liquor.

They decided to consume the aftershave notion following which they mixed the lotion with the soft drinks and had an unusual recipe of what they believe would be the substitute for the liquor. However, after the consumption, they developed giddiness and complained of vomiting after which the trio was admitted to the Manamelkudi government primary health care.

Arun Pandiyan and Hassan Mydeen had died at the primary health care and Anwar Raja was transferred to Aranthangi government hospital from where he has now been taken to the private hospital. The district police department has recovered the lotion bottle and dispatched it for forensics for further investigations.