At least 50 people have died after consuming spurious liquor in Bihar since the past four days, news agency ANI reported on Friday, 16 December.
The details: The deaths due to intake of hooch have been reported from Chhapra, in Bihar's Saran district. The Isuapur and Amnour blocks are the most affected, with deaths being reported since Tuesday.
The action taken: On Thursday, a special investigation team (SIT) was set up to probe the deaths. Four suspects have been arrested so far, Superintendent of Police, Saran, Santosh Kumar was quoted as saying.
"We have also conducted intensive raids across the district in the last 48 hours and nabbed 126 hooch traders. More than 4,000 litres of illicit liquor have also been seized," Saran district magistrate Rajesh Meena said, news agency PTI reported.
Masrakh Station House Officer (SHO) Ritesh Mishra and constable Vikesh Tiwari were suspended on Thursday with immediate effect, in light of the hooch tragedy.
What else you should know: CM Nitish Kumar on Thursday made some controversial remarks over the liquor-related deaths. "Last time, when people died due to spurious liquor, someone said they should be compensated. Those who drink liquor will obviously die. The example is in front of us," he had asserted while speaking to the media outside the Parliament.
Kumar's government has come under the fire over the tragedy. "Spurious liquor sale has been flourishing in Bihar under the protection of police officers and state administration despite prohibition in place. But the chief minister is silent and he does not take any action against the accused," Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha said.
The backdrop: The sale and consumption of alcohol were banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016. However, cases of deaths due consumption of spurious liquor are commonly reported from the dry state. In January this year, 13 people had died in CM Kumar's home district Nalanda. Last year, over a hundred people had lost their lives in a hooch tragedy in Samastipur, West Champaran, and Gopalganj.
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