Bihar hooch tragedy: Death toll rises to 30, admin tight-lipped

Doctors have expressed apprehension that all 30 people died due to drinking poisonous liquor. The real cause of the deaths can be ascertained only after conducting a postmortem.

Chhapra (Bihar): At least 30 people died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in the Isuapur police station area of Chhapra in Bihar's Saran district. Though locals have claimed that the deaths happened after people consumed 'mohua', a conventional beverage on December 12, the administration is yet to make a comment on it.

According to Santosh Kumar, the superintendent of police of Saran district, three persons each have died in Isuapur and Mashrak police station areas after allegedly consuming spurious liquor on Tuesday night. "We have sent the six bodies for post mortem," the official said.

"The report will ascertain the cause of death. Local villagers claim that the deceased had consumed liquor. Six more persons who had fallen ill are undergoing treatment at hospitals. We are trying to record their statements," the SP was quoted as saying by PTI.

Sale and consumption of alcohol was completely banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April, 2016, though its implementation has been patchy. Sources told ETV Bharat that the death toll in the fresh case is expected to rise further as the autopsy reports of the deceased are yet to come.

Seven of the 30 who died after the consumption of 'mohua' were identified as Kunal Kumar Singh, son of Jadu Singh, a resident of Yadu More of Mashrakh police station area; Mukesh Sharma, son of Bacha Sharma, from Hanuman Ganj village in Mashrak; Ganesh Ram, son of Harendra Ram from Mashrak; Ramji Sah, son of Gopal Sah Shastri of Mashrak, and other three from Doila village of Isuapur, namely Vichendra Rai, son of Nrisig Rai, Manoj Kumar Singh, son of Vakil Singh, and Amit Ranjan (38), son of Virendra Kumar Sinha.

The rise in hooch casualties has sent the district administration into a tizzy. Doctors have expressed apprehension that all 30 people could have died due to poisonous liquor. However, they were quick to add that the real cause of the death can be ascertained only after conducting a postmortem.

Session disrupted

In Bihar Assembly, the BJP MLAs created a ruckus. Many of them entered the Assembly well raising slogans accusing the government of failure to stop the sale of illicit liquor and demanding adequate compensation to family members of those who lost their lives.

The chief minister, to whom prohibition is a move inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and hence close to his heart, rose in his chair angrily and stood admonishing the BJP MLAs waving fingers at them. The din caused Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary to adjourn the proceedings for 15 minutes, within half an hour of commencement at 11 A.M.

The unruly scenes continued when the House re-assembled. BJP members demanded an apology from the chief minister, who was then not in his chair, and staged a walkout when the Zero Hour began.