Hooch tragedy claims 12 lives in Bihar

Twelve persons have died after suspected consumption of spurious liquor in Gopalganj district of Bihar, where prohibition was implemented in April, even as authorities claimed that the reason behind the deaths is not clear and ordered a probe.

“Twelve persons have died so far. The deaths have been reported from different areas of five police stations of the district in the past 24 hours. One person is admitted at a Sadar hospital,” Gopalganj District Magistrate Rahul Kumar said.

Asked whether the deaths were the result of consumption of illicit liquor, he said some family members alleged that the persons had consumed spurious liquor last evening after which they died while some other relatives of the deceased gave in writing that they did not die because of spurious liquor. A single reason may not be the cause of the deaths as they were reported from different locations here, Kumar said.