Bihar hooch tragedy: Official figure of death toll 38, says Minister

Bihar prohibition and excise minister Sunil Kumar puts 'official figure' on death toll in Chhapra hooch tragedy at 38. His assertion came amid media reports saying over 70 people died after consuming spurious liquor in Saran district.

Patna: Bihar prohibition and excise minister Sunil Kumar speaking about liquor deaths in Saran district of the state said, "The official figure in Chhapra hooch tragedy, what we received from police, district and excise department officials was 38. Now, anybody has doubt about this official figure, then file an application we will look into it."

Giving reply to a poser that kin of the deceased were forcibly asked to cremate the body by the administration as well as they were asked not to bring the matter in the public domain. Besides, the relatives of the hooch tragedy victims, gave on camera statement to media persons, to which minister Sunil Kumar, said, "Don't speak in generic terms. Be specific and point out the names of the affected families. People heaped allegations on the administration and but not all allegations were found to be true."

The Minister said in the age of mainstream media and social media, it was very difficult to bury any news report. If someone was pressurized by the administration to cremate the body or someone was asked to keep his mouth shut, then he should put forward an application. We will look into the matter."

Read:Bihar hooch tragedy: Spirit used in spurious liquor went missing from police station

When reporters confronted the minister that it was not a generic report or generalized statement, it was the hard fact that police in plainclothes visited aggrieved families' houses and put pressure on the deceased's kin to dispose of the body immediately, the Bihar minister said, "We were not backtracking from the statement on death toll. If the allegations were found to be true, then left out aggrieved families will be included in the list. Besides, we urge such families who were pressurised some way or the other to come forward and put up their applications, we will see to. We were not hesitant or shying away to increase the death toll."

When asked whether applications will be entertained wherein the bodies were disposed of without conducting post-mortem, Sunil Kumar said, "We will conduct an inquiry in such cases to ascertain the truth. We will not rely on hearsay or political statements coming in the public domain every day."