Illicit Alcohol Claims Five More Lives in "Dry Bihar"

Patna: In Bihar, illicit liquor consumption has again claimed the lives of at least five people in the last 12 hours in the Muzaffarpur district.

This is the second such incident in a matter of days when people have lost their lives after consuming illicit liquor. Five days ago, four people had died after consuming illegal alcohol in the Siwan district.

In August this year, five more people had died after allegedly consuming illicit liquor. These incidents have brought fresh attention to the reality that the Nitish Kumar-led government has failed to check and control the illegal liquor trade.

The latest incident took place in Repura village under Saraiya police station in Muzaffarpur district.

As per reports reaching here, two people, Munna Singh, 32, and Avnish Singh, 35, died late Thursday night during treatment at a private clinic. Avinash Rai, in his mid-30s, died on Friday morning. Vipul Sahi and Dhiresh Singh died on Friday at noon. All of them had consumed illicit liquor at a party in the village, the previous night. Later, they complained of stomach pain and restlessness and fell unconscious before being taken to the hospital.

However, the district police are yet to confirm this incident. The police have said that they would make a conclusive statement only after a post-mortem report. But the families of the victims claimed that they died after consuming liquor.

According to local villagers, four or five people, who consumed liquor with the victims, have been battling for their lives in different private hospitals.

Ironically, the cases are being reported from a state where manufacture, storage, transportation, sale and consumption of alcohol have been banned for over five years. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had imposed the total liquor prohibition in the state in April 2016.

Angry over this incident, the family members of the victims have questioned the much-hyped total liquor ban in the state.

"The total liquor prohibition is only for namesake. The reality is different as liquor is easily available on demand. Powerful liquor traders are selling liquor. People are openly drinking and dying," said Pappu Singh, a close relative of Munna Singh, one of the victims.

Singh said the local police hardly acted against the powerful liquor mafia despite repeated complaints.

"Police and other officers are minting money due to liquor prohibition because liquor mafias have been freely doing business by bribing them," Mukesh Kumar, a family member of Avinash Rai, another victim, said.

"If liquor is available, traders are selling it, and people are consuming it openly, then where is liquor prohibition? It has failed. It has been a total waste of resources."

Singh and Kumar are among thousands across the state who expressed their helplessness that the liquor trade is rampant all around.

"Liquor is available and delivered at home if one has money. The sale and consumption of liquor have increased like never before. The police are behind the flourishing trade of the illicit country-made liquor in our villages and neighbouring areas," said Satnarayan Ram, a resident of Bellaur village under Guthni police station, where four people died after consuming liquor.

Villagers at different places recalled that if the police had enforced prohibition in their villages and acted against the local liquor mafia, the tragedy could have been avoided.

In recent months, reports of the liquor mafia attacking police teams increased manifold. This is seen as a part of organised crime in the state. However, police have seized hundreds of litres of liquor since last month, which were bought for the ongoing panchayat elections in the state.