Bihar hooch toll climbs to 11

PTI

Bihar Sharif, January 16

Seven more people have died here after consuming spurious liquor, raising the toll to 11 in the headquarters of Nalanda district—to which dry Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar belongs.

According to Superintendent of Police, Nalanda, Ashok Mishra, the station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned has been suspended and bodies of eight of the deceased have been handed over to family members after post mortem.

“Four people died in the early hours of Saturday while four others breathed their last in the evening. Three more died this morning,” he said.

“All deaths have taken place in Chhoti Pahari and Pahari Talli localities of the town. The SHO of Sohsarai has been suspended for being lax in keeping an eye on the activities in an area under his jurisdiction,” added the SP.

Bodies of the three persons who died Sunday morning have been sent for post mortem. All bereaved family members have said that the deceased consumed liquor on Friday night.

Sale and consumption of liquor is completely banned in Bihar since April, 2016.

The hooch tragedy comes barely two months after more than 40 people died after consuming spurious liquor in four north Bihar districts.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal, whose party shares power in the state, launched a fresh attack on the chief minister’s party.

“JD(U) leaders would do well to acknowledge that the hydra-headed monster that is illicit liquor trade cannot be slain until the nexus of high officials, police personnel and liquor mafia is broken,” said Jaiswal in a statement.

The BJP leader, who represents Pashchim Champaran in Lok Sabha, has been sore ever since a JD(U) spokesman took potshots at him for the hooch deaths in his constituency in November last year.

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