Bihar Hooch Tragedy Toll Soars to 39; Nitish’s Total Prohibition Faces Questions

Patna: Deaths due to toxic spurious liquor in Bihar’s Saran district rose to 39 on Thursday. Two police officers including a Station House Officer (SHO) and a constable were put under suspension in relation to the recent Chhapra liquor deaths.

Bihar excise Minister Sunil Kumar “vowed’ that govt would take “strict action” against culprits responsible for deaths. Another Bihar Minister SK Mahaseth urged the people of the state to give up drinking alcohol. “Give it up! It’s prohibited & being wrongly pushed here,” said Mahaseth.

In April 2016, Nitish Kumar government banned the sale and consumption of alcohol in Bihar. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is also too perturbed by the illicit liquor related deaths continuing in the state. On Wednesday, he lost his temper in the Bihar assembly when the MLAs of the opposition BJP attacked his government over the Chhapra hooch tragedy.

Leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha questioned the state’s liquor ban policy. Losing his cool, Nitish screamed at the BJP MLAs saying ”Sharabi ho gaye ho tum…(you have become drunkards)”.

The recent liquor tragedy in Bihar is the third of its kind in the past six months. In March, illicit liquor claimed 32 lives in Bihar. In August similar liquor tragedy had taken the lives of 11 persons in this so-called dry state.