6 dead in latest ‘hooch tragedy’
POLICE CONFIRMED THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND THOSE TAKEN ILL, BUT SAID AUTOPSY REPORTS WERE AWAITED TO ASCERTAIN THE CAUSE OF DEATHS
GAYA/AURANGABAD: In yet another suspected hooch tragedy in Bihar, at least six people have died and 12 taken ill after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Gaya and Aurangabad districts over the last two days, police said on Tuesday.
Those taken ill, including two who have lost vision, have been admitted to Magadh Medical College and Hospital in Gaya.
Police confirmed the number of deaths and those taken ill, but said autopsy reports were awaited to ascertain the cause of deaths.
Gaya’s senior superintendent of police (SSP), Harpreet Kaur, could not be contacted. The person who answered her official phone said she was duty for the visit of chief minister Nitish Kumar, who incidentally was in the town on Tuesday to review the progress of a scheme related to Ganga water flow and a rubber dam over Falgu river.
Aurangabad SP Kantesh Kumar Mishra said ascertaining the cause of deaths was not possible as the family members had cremated the three bodies without autopsy.
“We have destroyed many illegal distilleries and arrested 67 suspected bootleggers in the last three days,” Mishra said, adding that all deaths have been reported from Madanpur block.
Earlier, on Sunday, three people had died after allegedly consuming spurious liquor at Raniganj village in the same block, locals said. Sale and consumption of alcohol was completely banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016. Implementation, though, has remained marred by rampant illicit liquor trade.
This year alone, scores of hooch deaths have been reported from several districts in north Bihar.