Six villagers died in a suspected spurious liquor tragedy in dry Bihar’s Saran district, the district administration said on Wednesday. However, villagers told media persons that at least 20 people had died in several villages.
The district administration has confirmed six deaths due to “suspected spurious liquor tragedy” in villages falling under Masrakh, Marhaura, Amanour and Ishuapur blocks of Chhapra, the district headquarters of Saran district in parched Bihar.
Prohibition, Excise and Registration Minister Sunil Kumar said, “Three people have been detained.”
Family members told local media persons that the victims had gone to the market of Doyila village in Ishuapur block of Chhapra on Monday and consumed alcohol on Monday night. Things got worse and five of them died the same night, while the others died on the morning of 14 December.”
Angered by the incident, the relatives blocked the state highway near Hanuman Chowk in Chhapra and obstructed the traffic. They burnt tires and raised slogans against the district administration demanding compensation for the families of those killed in the spurious liquor case. He also demanded action against those involved in the incident.
Read this also | Nitish should reconsider prohibition, call an all-party meeting: Giriraj Singh
“The death toll will rise by tomorrow [Thursday] Many seriously serious people are undergoing treatment in private hospitals due to fear of the police.” Reports suggested that many of the deceased had lost their eyesight, with others battling for life in various hospitals in the district. Four of these people have been referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for treatment.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar blamed the opposition BJP MLAs for raising the issue in the assembly. Bihar is a dry state since April 2016 under stringent laws.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lost his cool in the Bihar Assembly on Wednesday when opposition BJP MLAs raised the issue of deaths due to spurious liquor. “Hey, you are talking…Shut up. You have become a drunkard…you people are getting everyone done…what a dirty job you are doing…get everyone out…this will not be tolerated. [BJP legislators] you got drunk… you’re doing all this [hooch tragedies]…what a dirty job you are doing…get them all out…this will not be tolerated), shouted Mr. Kumar.
BJP members later created ruckus inside the House and later walked out. They demonstrated outside the House demanding an “apology” for Mr Kumar’s “undemocratic behaviour”.
“We will not allow the state assembly to function smoothly until Chief Minister Nitish Kumar apologizes for his undemocratic behaviour… The way Mr. Kumar used unparliamentary language against BJP members on the floor of the House, it is not acceptable Not there. The BJP has decided to boycott the House,” said Vijay Kumar Sinha, senior BJP leader and the party’s leader in the House.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar replies to the remarks of the opposition on the Chhapra hooch tragedy in the Patna Assembly on December 14, 2022. Photo Credit: PTI
The party’s BJP leader in the state council, Samrat Chowdhary, blamed Mr Kumar for the poisoning deaths. Other protesting BJP legislators blamed “nexus between the police and bootleggers” for the deaths. “I will also appeal to the family members of those who died in the spurious liquor tragedy to file an FIR (First Information Report) against Nitish Kumar,” Chowdhury said.
However, ruling party MLA and Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Chowdhury said that “there is no question of Mr Kumar apologizing as he has not said anything undemocratic”. “We have a prohibition law in Bihar but still people are drinking and dying, which proves that drinking and dying is not right,” said Mr. Chaudhary, “Opposition members often claim that alcohol is everywhere. is available. But when we ask them to give details of the vendors, they go silent.
The deceased villagers have been identified as Vijender Rai (46), Ramji Sah (55), Amit Ranjan (38), Sanjay Singh (45), Kunal Singh (38), Jaidev Singh (43), Mukesh Sharma (30), Naseer happened. Hussain (42), Ramesh Ram (42), Chandra Ram (48), Lallan Ram (55), Vicky Mahto (16), Harendra Ram, Ajay Giri, Bharat Ram, Manoj Ram, Mangal Rai, Govind Rai, Premchand Shah and Dinesh Thakur.
Superintendent of Police-Saran Santosh Kumar said, “We have detained three persons in connection with the incident and raids are on to nab others involved in the illegal liquor trade.”
Speaking to local media persons, District Magistrate Rajesh Meena said: “I have received information about six deaths and investigation is on. We have also spoken to the villagers and urged them to fearlessly report illegal liquor business in the area.”
Official records show that around 170 people lost their lives in Bihar from January to November this year after consuming spurious liquor. Over 3.5 lakh people have been arrested and over seven lakh liters of illicit liquor seized after the state government invoked the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016.