Bihar hooch tragedy: 53 dead, Nitish says 'jo piyega woh marega' - 10 points

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Thursday came under attack from left, right and centre over the latest and one of the biggest hooch tragedies in the state, which has flown in the face of its stringent prohibition law.

Chhapra (Bihar): The death toll in the hooch tragedy in Bihar's Chhapra reached 53 on Friday drawing attacks from the opposition on the Nitish Kumar government, which has flown in the face of its stringent prohibition law. According to sources, 46 people have died, with at least 10 deaths taking place since Wednesday night. The issue has led to political mudslinging with the opposition slamming Nitish Kumar and calling the deaths a "mass murder".

Here are the 10 points in this big story:

1. The family members of the deceased persons in Chhapra claimed that their relatives died due to the consumption of poisonous liquor. The incident took place in the Doila village of Isuapur police station area and Yadu Mor of Mashrak police station area. The deaths were reported from Tuesday evening.
2. A special investigation team has been set up to crack the hooch case. During a press conference in Chhapra, Saran DM Rajesh Meena on Thursday said that action has been taken against officials concerned. "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," he said.
3. Civil surgeon and medical officer in charge Dr Sagar Dulal Sinha said deaths were being reported from those homes in affected villages where a family member falling ill after consuming intoxicants was not reported out of fear of landing on the wrong side of the law, PTI reported.
4. The Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar has suspended the SHO of Mashrak police station, Ritesh Mishra, and one homeguard, in connection with the incident. It is learned action may be initiated against the jurisdictional DSP. The SP has recommended the transfer of Marhaura DSP besides departmental proceedings.
5. The SP has issued instructions to SDOs and Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs) of Chhapra Sadar, Marhaura and Sonepur to conduct an extensive drive and also keep an eye on inter-state as well as inter-district movement of liquor smugglers or those involved in shady deal. The officers have also been told to conduct door-to-door searches in those villages situated on the bordering areas of Ishuapur, Mashrak, Marhaura and Amnour blocks.
6. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar warned that if people drink spurious liquor, they will die. The chief minister's blunt comments came as his policy of prohibition came under attack from many quarters including from his former political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor, who demanded scrapping of the prohibition law. Sale and consumption of alcohol was completely banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016.
7. "Jo piyega woh marega" (those who drink spurious alcohol will die), thundered Nitish Kumar as he stood his ground maintaining that prohibition was "not my personal wish but a response to the cries of the women of the state".
8. In Lok Sabha, BJP's Aurangabad MP Sushil Kumar Singh termed the hooch tragedy deaths as "mass murder" and held the Bihar government responsible for it.
9. While the opposition BJP continued to create a ruckus inside the assembly for the second consecutive day over the Saran hooch tragedy, the CPI(ML) Liberation which supports the Mahagathbandhan government staged a demonstration outside before the commencement of proceedings, demanding a review of the draconian provisions of the prohibition law and monetary compensation to bereaved family members.
10. CPI(M) MLA Satyendra Yadav termed the stringent prohibition law that has been in place for over six years as "betuka" (absurd). Yadav's Manjhi assembly segment is close to the areas of Saran, where the hooch tragedy happened.