Chennai, Aug. 5: Anti-liquor demonstrations in Tamil Nadu claimed one more life last night when an employee of a state-run outlet in Salem suffered severe burns and suffocated to death after some protesters apparently threw a petrol bomb into the shop.

Selvam, 43, was sleeping inside the Tasmac shop in Vazhapadi, near Salem town, around 350km from here, when the bomb, thrown through its locked grille gates, triggered a blaze.

Last week, anti-liquor activist Sasiperumal died while protesting atop a cellphone tower in Kanyakuarmi district.

Salem happens to be the activist's hometown. His family members have been demanding that all liquor shops be closed down in Salem and Kanyakumari districts before they receive his body.

While smaller political parties, too, have been demanding that all liquor outlets be shut across the state, lack of unity has hobbled the protests so far.

The DMK, the state's main Opposition party, and the Congress have both remained noncommittal, while the AIADMK-led government seems to be weighing options, apparently more inclined towards trimming the business hours of shops run by Tasmac, the state-run liquor seller.

Sources said Selvam couldn't come out of the shop as the fire blocked his only exit route through the front grille gate. He dialled a friend, who informed police and the fire service. They broke open the door and took Selvam to a government hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

"He had suffered severe burns and had also suffocated in the smoke. Most of the stocks in the shop were destroyed in the fire. A case of murder has been registered and we have formed a special team to track down the culprits," a senior police officer said.

According to oral orders, at least one employee has to remain in every Tasmac shop at night to protect the stock and the cash. "We have been demanding that the state government appoint security guards but they have refused citing high costs. When Tasmac shops earn nearly Rs 30,000 crore a year, spending a few crores on security for these shops is not a big deal. Now we will have to take concerted action against such illegal oral orders," V. Dhansekaran, secretary of the Tasmac Employees Association, said.

Selvam's relatives questioned why the police didn't arrange for security for all Tasmac shops in the district, especially in view of the escalating tension after Sasiperumal's death on July 31. All Tasmac shops in Salem remained closed for a day in protest.

In another incident, the police arrested an anti-liquor protester after he climbed a cellphone tower in Tenkasi town in Tirunelveli district, 500km from here. Aiyappan, a day labourer, climbed the tower demanding that a nearby Tasmac shop be closed down.

The police locked the shop as Aiyappan watched from above and sent the key to him through a fire service worker. He was arrested when he came down.

The shop opened for business shortly afterwards.