Patna : Two more have died in the Hooch Liquor Tragedy taking the total deaths to 30 plus.
“Both the deceased were residents of Sirasiya village, where two others fell ill after consuming the liquor and were admitted to a hospital for treatment,” Jayant Kant, senior superintendent of police, Muzaffarpur, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“The bodies have been taken for post mortem. We are recording the statements of bereaved family members as well as those who have been hospitalised. Based on the statements, we will be able to confirm whether liquor was consumed,” the SSP further said.
The incident took place close to the Saraiya police station area where five persons had died after consuming spurious liquor in the last week of October.
Recently, hooch tragedies were reported in West Champaran, Gopalganj and Samastipur districts around Diwali, accounting to about 40 deaths, reported PTI.
Also Read : Nitish Kumar calls for a meeting over liquor ban in state
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called for a meeting on November 16 regarding the Liquor ban and the Liquor Tragedy in the state since 2016.
Kumar had held a review meeting on Saturday, which the Janata Dal (United) chief informed via Twitter. Earlier, he had warned of strict action against those involved in sale and consumption of liquor in the dry state after the celebrations for Chhath Puja are over.
“It is for people to see and judge. If you indulge in such activities, the result is before you. We will take action. Some people are doing bad work by making spurious liquor. Raids are on and I am going to review the entire scenario once the Chhath festival is over,” he had said.
Notably, liquor has been prohibited in Bihar since 2016.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar’s leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said that the liquor ban is only confined in the words of Kumar. “Instead of taking strict action against the officials, Mafiosi and illegal traders; CM Nitish Kumar keep on cautioning the people from not consuming the liquor,” he alleged, adding that the state police had seized two trucks full of illegal liquor from the school of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister in the cabinet but “no reference” of the person was present in the First Information Report (FIR).
Meanwhile, Congress MLC Prem Chandra Mishra pointed out that it was high time the state government re-evaluate the Prohibition Act, and if it is at all effective.
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