Bihar Hooch Tragedy: The Bihar police swung into action after six people died and 14 others were hospitalised on Wednesday after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Bihar's Siwan and Saran districts. As of now, the Saran police has conducted 250 raids in the past 24 hours, arrested 37 people in connection with the case, and recovered 1650 litres of alchohol in the district. SHO and other police personnel are being interrogated and beat police personnel have been suspended.
Additionally, an FIR has been registered against eight known and some unknown people. A special investigation team has been formed to probe the matter. The spirit used in the liquor is said to be industrial spirit, Saran SP said.
The exact cause of their deaths is yet to be ascertained as bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination and autopsy reports are awaited. Four deaths were reported in Siwan and two in Saran. However, villagers alleged that the deceased had consumed spurious liquor on Tuesday night, following which they fell ill.
Saran SP Kumar Ashish said: "The spirit is being reported to be industrial spirit and we are investigating its backward and forward linkages... 5 people have reportedly lost their lives because of illicit liquor. Beat police personnel have been suspended. SHO and other personnel have questioned. If their answers are found to be unsatisfactory, action will be taken against them. SIT has been formed. In the last 24 hours, we have conducted 250 raids in which we have recovered 1650 litres of alcohol in the district... 37 people have been arrested so far... FIR has been registered against 8 known and some unknown persons..."
Meanwhile, Saran DM Aman Samir said that an ex-gratia of Rs 4 Lakh will be given to the families of the victims only after the kin vows that they support the liquor ban imposed by the Bihar government. It is also necessary that the autopsy report confirms that the victims died due to the ilicit liquor.
"Kin of the deceased will have to take a pledge that they are in favour of liquor ban imposed by the state government and that they are against liquor. If the postmortem report of the deceased confirms that he has died due to illicit liquor, and if the kin of the deceased fulfils the required conditions, ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each will be given to the families," the DM said.
The DM had also said that the district administration has initiated a high-level inquiry into the matter and a team of officials of the Prohibition and Excise Department will also pinvestigate it.
Two chowkidars of Maghar and Auriya panchayats were suspended following the incident, and departmental action will also be initiated against the officials of the local police station.
The sale and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016.