Chhapra Hooch Tragedy Death Toll Reaches 50, Bihar CM Warns against Consumption of Spurious Liquor

Patna: Illicit spurious liquor is continuing to claim lives in Bihar’s Chhapra region. The death toll rose to 50 on Friday. Within the last 24 hours, 11 more deaths due to toxic liquor were reported.

Fearing legal action, several consumers of the spurious liquor have not preferred to get admitted to hospitals even after getting ill. The sale and consumption of liquor are completely banned in Bihar. So, at present most deaths are being reported from homes.

This illicit liquor tragedy had come to the fore on Wednesday with three reported deaths. By Thursday the number reached 39.

Commenting on the situation, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday bluntly warned that if people drink spurious liquor, they will die.

Several associates of Nitish Kumar including his former political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor have demanded the abolition of the total prohibition law in Bihar. But the Bihar CM is stuck to his tirade against liquor consumption saying that prohibition was “not my personal wish but a response to the cries of the women of the state”.

Kumar when he brought in prohibition had won praise from many women’s groups who felt it would save their men-folk from the ‘curse of drunkenness and save homes from financial ruin.’ He also expressed displeasure over criticisms from the opposition BJP which has raised the issue ‘even inside Parliament’.

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.