Bihar spurious liquor case: Death toll mounts to 8, SHO suspended

Patna, Jan 21 (IANS) With the death of two more people in Amnaur block, the toll in the spurious liquor tragedy in Bihar's Saran district mounted to eight. District SP Santosh Kumar on Friday suspended the SHO of Maker police station in this connection.

"We have suspended SHO Rajesh Kumar and arrested Chowkidar Ganesh Manjhi for failing to stop liquor operations in their jurisdiction," SP Santosh Kumar said.

IANS on January 18 reported that three people died under mysterious circumstances in villages under Maker police station. Then, SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased died due to extreme cold weather. The death toll in Maker block has reached six.

Sources said that two more persons died in the Amnaur block of the district on Thursday night and five others lost their eyesight after they consumed poisonous liquor on January 18. They were undergoing treatment in private hospitals.

Kumar took action after family members of the deceased presented liquor pouches and bottles before media persons on Thursday night.

The family members claimed that the deaths occurred after consuming liquor and not due to freezing temperatures.

"He purchased a liquor bottle on January 18 and consumed half of it. After that he complained of abdominal pain and died in the evening," Urmila Devi, wife of one of the victims said while showing half of the bottle.

Overall 20 persons have died in the last one week after they consumed poisonous liquor in Saran and Nalanda districts. Earlier, 13 persons died in Choti Pahari in Nalanda district on January 15 and several lost their eyesight.

Satyendra Yadav, MLA of CPI-M said: "The liquor ban decision of Nitish Kumar is good but it is badly implemented in Bihar. The law enforcement officials are not allowing it to be implemented successfully. Keeping this in view, Nitish Kumar should learn from other states and lift the liquor ban. He should also facilitate good quality and less expensive liquor for poor people. They used to drink country-made liquor in districts and lost their lives."