Spurious liquor deaths continue to haunt Bihar, 30 die during Holi festival in four districts

In the latest series of spurious liquor deaths in prohibition bound Bihar, more than 30 people died in Banka, Bhagalpur, Madhepura and Naugachiya districts during Holi celebrations. Police claimed illicit liquor consumption can be confirmed only after post mortem reports were received.

Four people, identified as liquor suppliers have been arrested in the Sahibganj area of Bhagalpur district, according to Vishwavidyalaya Police station in-charge, Rita Kumari.

According to the local residents, illicit liquor was being supplied in the town and they had informed the police station and even SSP about the supplier, but no preventive action was taken.

Vibhash Kumar, a resident of Sahibganj informed over the phone that four people from his colony had taken liquor on Saturday from one Chaudhry family. Kumar Gaurav, another youth of the area said, "liquor is available in every village and we had informed the local police station earlier too, but no action was taken". Shashi Bhushan, ward councillor of ward number 9 said that the victims had purchased liquor locally.

The eight people who died in the Amarpur locality have been identified as -Raghunandan Poddar, Raja Tiwari, Sanjay Sharma, Raju Mandal, Rahul Kumar, Ashish Kumar, Vijay Shah and Sumit Kumar. Women admitted their husbands had brought liquor bottles on Saturday. Abhishek Kumar lost his eyesight and has been admitted to Mayaganj hospital. In the Narayanpur bloc, two people died in the last two days.

Police claimed Munna Chaudhury, wife and daughter of the suspected main supplier, Shyam Chaudhury has been arrested.

In Banka district, 8 people died.

In the Murliganj block of Madhepura district, four people died during the Holi festival after consuming suspected spurious liquor. Dr Mehtab Alam, in charge of the primary health centre at Murliganj, said three cases were referred to the Sadar hospital for better treatment as they were also suspected to have consumed liquor.

In the neighbouring Naugachiya district, two people died and in Banka, the death toll reached 17.

The Bihar government has decided to bring an amendment bill in the current budget session of the legislature to amend the Prohibition Act of 2016. Copies of the draft amendment bill have been circulated among the members of the legislature. Over five lakh people have been arrested on charges of violation of the law.