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Siwan accounts for 28, while Saran reports 9 deaths. Over a dozen individuals receiving treatment at Siwan Sadar Hospital and PMCH
NEW DELHI: The death toll from the hooch tragedy in Bihar’s Siwan and Saran districts has risen to 37, officials confirmed on Friday. Siwan accounts for 28, while Saran reports nine deaths. Over a dozen individuals receive treatment at Siwan Sadar Hospital and Patna Medical College after consuming toxic liquor. Additionally, two deaths in Gopalganj district are also suspected to be linked to spurious liquor consumption.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar holds a review meeting with the Prohibition and Excise Department to address the escalating crisis. During the meeting, Kumar emphasises the need for strict enforcement of liquor laws, urging citizens to refrain from drinking. He states, “The administration must ensure complete enforcement of liquor laws. We urge people to avoid drinking.”
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Siwan police arrested ten individuals, while Saran police apprehended 37 suspects in connection with the case. A senior officer from Siwan notes a disturbing trend similar to the 2022 hooch incidents in these districts, stating, “There is a similar pattern to the 2022 hooch incidents in these districts. Country-made liquor from neighbouring UP is being smuggled into Saran, Siwan, and Gopalganj. All deaths are linked to the same batch.”
This current tragedy echoes a similar incident in 2022 when 73 people lost their lives in Saran and Siwan due to illicit liquor consumption. Over the past four days, police in Siwan and Saran confiscated more than 2,000 litres of illegal liquor, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat this serious issue. Most victims in the current tragedy are daily labourers or street vendors, underscoring the socioeconomic impact of such incidents.
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Since 2016, over 350 individuals have died from consuming spurious liquor in Bihar, with the majority of cases concentrated in northern regions, including East Champaran, West Champaran, Saran, Siwan, and Gopalganj.
