Bihar: 10 more people die after ‘consuming illicit liquor’

Patna: Ten more people died after allegedly consuming illicit liquor in Bihar’s Siwan and Saran districts, taking the toll in the hooch tragedy to 35, an official said on Friday.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Saran range, Nilesh Kumar said on Friday that while Siwan accounted for 28 fatalities, seven deaths have been reported from Saran.

“As many as 28 people in Maghar and Auriya panchayats in Siwan district have so far died after consuming suspected illicit liquor. Seven people in Ibrahimpur area under the jurisdiction of Mashrakh police station in Saran district also died after consuming suspected spurious liquor”, the DIG told news agency on Friday.

The suspected hooch tragedy has triggered a political blame game with opposition parties questioning the efficacy of the ban on sale and consumption of liquor, imposed by the Nitish Kumar government more than eight years ago. Locals in both districts claimed that people lost their lives after “consuming illicit liquor”.

On the condition of anonymity local police officials claimed that more than 25 people from both districts are still battling for their lives at different hospitals in Siwan, Saran and Patna districts.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examinations and the exact cause of the incident can only be known after receiving the autopsy reports, the DIG said. Officials have so far not disclosed the identity of the deceased and those under treatment.

Director General of Police Alok Raj on Thursday told news agency, “Two special investigating teams have also been set up in the aftermath of the incident. The one set up at the local level will be looking into the criminality involved in the latest episode.”