Motihari, Apr 3: The death toll in the suspected hooch tragedy rose to four on Friday after three more persons died allegedly due to consumption of spurious liquor in dry Bihar’s East Champaran district, officials said.
At least six others are undergoing treatment at a government hospital, while seven people have been discharged after initial treatment, they said.
The incident took place at Turkauliya and Raghunathpur areas of Motihari on Thursday.
East Champaran District Magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said, “The death toll has now mounted to four. Bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of death can only be known after the report.”
The DM said that 12 people, including a village chowkidar, have been arrested in connection with the incident, while the SHO of Turkauliya police station has been suspended with immediate effect.
SP Swarn Prabhat said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the incident.
A murder case has been registered based on a complaint filed by family members of the deceased, police said.
Initial investigations suggested that the first victim had consumed illicit liquor in Raghunathpur area, police sources said.
“Police have identified the liquor supplier, and he will soon be nabbed. A team of the district police and the Anti-Liquor Task Force (ALTF) are conducting searches in Parsauni, Mushhari Tola and Turkaulia. A high-level inquiry has also been ordered into the incident,” Prabhat had said on Thursday.
The Nitish Kumar government imposed a total ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in Bihar on April 5, 2016.
Reacting to the incident, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly and RJD’s national working president, Tejashwi Yadav, said the incident has once again exposed the “failure” of the NDA government’s prohibition policy and its serious shortcomings.
In a post on X, Yadav wrote, “Such an incident has not happened for the first time in the state. According to available data, more than 1,300 people have so far died in Bihar due to consumption of spurious liquor since April 2016.”
He said, “This is just the official figure, the exact number is much more than this…several people have also lost their eyesight. This law has become a profitable venture for some leaders of the ruling BJP-JD(U), corrupt officials…and the liquor mafias who thrive under their protection. Spurious liquor is openly manufactured, sold rampantly in connivance with police…there is home-delivery of liquor in the state.” (PTI)
