Bihar Hooch Tragedy: Over 30 Die After Consuming Spurious Liquor

Patna: The death toll in the Bihar liquor tragedy crossed the 30-mark, police said on Thursday. Earlier in the day, news agency ANI, citing SP Siwan Amitesh Kumar, had reported that the death toll in Siwan mounted to over 20 after many people consumed illicit liquor.

So far, one person has been arrested and some have been detained in link with the case. Meanwhile, the state govt has formed a Special Investigating Agency ( SIT) to probe the deaths. 

Previoulsy on Wednesday, at least six people died while 14 others were hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in dry Bihar's Siwan and Saran districts, as per officials. Out of six, four deaths were reported in Siwan and two in Saran.

The incident has sent shock waves across the state. Reacting on the incident, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain alleged that liquor mafia are involved in such incidents.

Shahnawaz Hussain said, "A complete and strict liquor ban is imposed in Bihar . Some liquor mafia are involved in such incidents. Whoever is involved in this, will not be spared. CM Nitish Kumar is very strict about it. It is unfortunate that many people in Siwan-Chhapra lost their lives to illicit liquor... "

News agency PTI quoting, Siwan District Magistrate Mukul Kumar Gupta had reported on Wednesday, "Information was received around 7.30 am on Wednesday that three people died under mysterious circumstances in Maghar and Auriya panchayats. A team of officials was immediately sent to the area and 12 more people were sent to the nearest hospital for treatment but of them, one person died on the way." The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, he said, adding the exact cause of the incident could only be known after receiving the autopsy reports. 

Siwan DM Mukul Kumar Gupta has said on Wednesday that legal action was being taken against Bhagwanpur SHO and Prohibition ASI of Bhagwanpur police station. The identity of the deceased and those under treatment was not disclosed by officials on Wednesday.

"The district administration has started a high-level inquiry... a team of officials of the Prohibition and Excise Department will also probe the matter," the DM said.

Notably, the sale and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016. The Bihar government recently admitted that more than 150 people have died because of consuming illicit liquor in the state ever since it went dry with much fanfare in April 2016.