Bihar Hooch Tragedy: Isuapur, Saran District SHOs Suspended As Toll Mounts, Says Report

Bihar Liquor Tragedy: The SIT team formed to investigate the deaths due to spurious liquor in Chhapra, Siwan, and Begusarai in Bihar has arrested liquor mafia Anil Singh in the case.

Family members and relatives of people, who died after consuming allegedly spurious liquor mourn near their mortal remains, at Ishuapur police station area in Bihar's Saran district.

Source : File Photo/PTI

New Delhi: Amid the heat over the mounting hooch death toll in Saran district in Bihar since Tuesday night, Isuapur, Saran district, Station House Officer Sanjay Ram, Security guard Hari Rai, officer Krisha Singh, the security guard of Ramnath Manjhi of Saran’s Masrakh police station suspended, reported news agency ANI.

Isuapur, Saran district, Station House Officer Sanjay Ram, Security guard Hari Rai, officer Krisha Singh, security guard of Ramnath Manjhi of Saran’s Masrakh police station suspended over Saran Hooch Tragedy in Bihar. Probe currently underway, more officers under lens

— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2022

District officials reported 28 fatalities in the most recent reports, although local estimates put the number as high as 70. The hooch disaster has had an effect on the communities that are a part of the Mashrak block in the Saran district.

Since 2016, alcohol has been outlawed in Bihar. However, according to India Today, Bihar has a higher alcohol consumption rate than Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.

Additionally, the NHRC noted that the government has been unable to prevent the sale of counterfeit liquor even after imposing a prohibition on alcohol consumption in 2016.

The SIT team formed to investigate the deaths due to spurious liquor in Chhapra, Siwan, and Begusarai in Bihar has arrested liquor mafia Anil Singh in the case. It has also arrested 271 liquor traders under Operation Clean. Besides this, 6,335 litres of liquor and 21 vehicles have been seized so far. 

The action has been taken after several died in Bihar’s Chhapra, Siwan, and Begusarai after drinking spurious.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has decided to send a spot investigation team led by one of its members to probe the case. In the Saran district, the death toll due to drinking spurious liquor increased to 30 on Friday. 

This is the biggest incident of its kind ever since alcohol was banned in Bihar six years ago. The NHRC said in a statement that amid reports of more deaths in Bihar due to spurious liquor, the commission "has decided to send a team headed by one of its members to the spot for investigation".  

Amid investigations and actions by authorities, politics is deepening over the matter with the opposition leaving no chance to attack the Nitish Kumar-led state government. Jamui MP and Lok Jan Shakti Party chief Chirag Paswan met the Governor on Saturday and submitted a memorandum regarding this issue. Chirag lashed out at Nitish Kumar fiercely as soon as he came out of the Governor's house.