At Least 16 Dead In Suspected Hooch Tragedy In 'Dry State' Bihar's West Champaran: What We Know

At least 16 people have lost their lives since Wednesday in the West Champaran district of Bihar, after allegedly consuming poisonous liquor.??

The deaths were reported from Deurawa, Jogiya, and Bagahi villages in Lauria block.

What happened?

Several persons are battling for their lives in hospitals and doctors said that some of the victims have lost their eyesight.

According to a relative of Suresh Shah, one of the victims, he had consumed liquor on Wednesday and went to a nearby market to sell fish. He fell ill in the market and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead.

BCCL

After consuming the illegal liquor, some of the victims tried to hide the fact and gave wrong information in the hospitals.

However, according to a villager, after they informed the local police about the deaths the cops reached the village and forcibly cremated the deceased.

“The investigation is underway. Officers concerned are working on it. The locals are not ready to talk about it. We are closely monitoring the situation,” Bihar Deputy CM Renu Devi told ANI.

Some villagers claimed that people of Deurawa village allegedly sell liquor and residents of adjoining villages came there to buy it.

Yet another suspicious liquor tragedy in Bihar, which is supposed to be a dry state has the opposition taking shots at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad has alleged that the government's liquor ban has developed Rs 20,000 crore illegal business in the state.

BCCL

"Due to liquor ban, thousands of people are dying every year in Bihar and ruling party leaders are running a parallel economy of Rs 20,000 crore in Bihar.

"The Bihar government is targeting poor and Dalit people in liquor trade and sending them to jail. Bihar Police turns out corrupt and torturous," he tweeted.

BCCL

Though liquor has been banned in Bihar since 2016, data from the National Family Health Survey showed that residents of the state consume more alcohol than Maharashtra.

According to the National Family Health Survey 2019-20, 15.5 per cent of all men ( above 15 years of age) consumed alcohol in Bihar.